Graded electron affinity electron source

We describe a new electron source using electric field and low electron affinity semiconductor materials to bring charge to potential energy levels near the vacuum level while still in the solid. The basic idea involves moving some of the potential barrier from the surface to the bulk, and distributing the barrier over a thin layer below the surface. In so doing, the emission physics is changed fundamentally from a quantum mechanical tunneling process largely controlled by surface properties to a classical transport process largely controlled by the band structure of a wide bandgap semiconductor. The composition of the thin layer below the surface would be graded such that the conduction band minimum changes from an energy close to the substrate Fermi level to an energy significantly closer to the vacuum level. Electrons from the substrate would be drawn into the graded composition layer with an electric field produced by a pointed emitter structure and extraction gate similar to that used in field emitter arrays. Relative to a conventional field emitter array, the new source is expected to require lower extraction fields and exhibit improved emission uniformity, stability, and noise. The I-V characteristics are not Fowler-Nordheim and may include a saturation effect at high current densities that could be engineered to improve reliability and uniformity. The group III nitrides can be grown with a continuous range of composition that provides the range of electron affinity needed to produce the proposed electronic structure. (C) 1996 American Vacuum Society.