LOW VOLTAGE ELECTRON SOURCE WITH SELF ALIGNED GATE APERTURES, FABRICATION METHOD THEREOF, AND DEVICES USING THE ELECTRON SOURCE

摘要

A method of fabricating an electron source having a self-aligned gate aperture is disclosed. A substrate is deposited on a first conductive layer. Over the first conductive layer an emitter layer is deposited. The emitter layer includes one or a plurality of spaced-apart nano-structures and a solid surface with nano-structures protruding above the surface. An insulator is conformally deposited over the emitter layer surface and forms a post from each protruding nano-structure. A second conductive layer is deposited over the insulator and the second conductive layer and the insulator are removed from the nano-structures such that apertures are formed in the second conductive layer and at least the ends of the nano-structures are exposed at the centers of said apertures.