Temperature effects on gated silicon field emission array performance

Silicon field emitter arrays (Si FEAs) are being explored as an electron source for vacuum channel transistors high temperature electronics. Arrays of 1000?×?1000 silicon tip based gated emitters were studied by measuring their electrical characteristics up to 40?V DC gate bias with a 1.3?mA emission current at different temperatures from 25 400?°C. At ?350?°C, residual gas analyzer measurements show that water desorption and carbon dioxide partial pressures increase significantly, the leakage decreases more than ten times, collector increases times. These improvements remained after heat-treatment but then lost once device was exposed atmosphere several days. The could be recovered upon additional baking suggesting adsorbates (primarily water) on surface affected leakage. It also found heat-treatment, devices exhibited <3% variation in 40?V, which (without exposure atmosphere) can termed weak dependence. results suggest Si FEAs viable transistor.