INDIVIDUALLY SWITCHED FIELD EMISSION ARRAYS

摘要

An electron beam apparatus is disclosed that includes a plurality of current source elements disposed in at least one field emitter array. Each current source element can be a gated vertical transistor, an ungated vertical transistor, or a current controlled channel that is proximate to an optically-modulated current source. The electron beam apparatus includes a plurality of field emitter tips, each field emitter tip of the plurality of field emitter tips being coupled to a current source element of the plurality of current source elements. The electron beam apparatus is configured to allow selective activation of one or more of the current source elements.

主权项

1. An electron beam apparatus comprising:
a substrate; a plurality of field emitter elements disposed over the substrate in at least one array, each field emitter element of the plurality of field emitter elements comprising:
a current channel region disposed at a first end of the field emitter element proximate to the substrate;a donor-doped region or an acceptor-doped region disposed at a second end of the field emitter element that is different from the first end; anda field emitter tip disposed proximate to the second end of the field emitter element; and at least one extraction gate electrode disposed proximate to the plurality of field emitter elements, to apply a potential difference proximate to at least one field emitter tip of the plurality of field emitter elements, thereby accelerating the electrons emitted from the at least one field emitter tip in a direction away from the at least one field emitter tip.