Compact Modeling Approach of Field Emitter Arrays

Silicon field emitter arrays (FEAs) are cold electron sources for devices such as x-ray sources, ion sources, high-power microwave amplifiers or multi-beam electron lithography. For each device, it is imperative to optimize the anode structure and device package to obtain reliable performance. It is generally assumed that a parallel configuration of the FEA cathode-anode structure is the most ideal due to the compactness and symmetry. However, little work has been done to study the behavior of the FEA devices with this structure and consequently there is no compact model for the device. In this work, we report an unexpected yet repeatable negative differential resistance (NDR) in the device output characteristics, suggesting a need for an optimal FEA cathode-anode configuration. A compact model for the FEA cathode-anode parallel-plate configuration is proposed for anode-to-emitter distances
$\leq 100\mu \mathrm{m}$
.