Field-Emission Vacuum Nanoelectronics

Fieldâ'Emission Vacuum Nanoelectronics: A Birdâs Eye View of Theory and Practical Applications explores the field in both theoretical and practical perspectives. Fieldâ'emission devices have moved from specialized applications to become potential candidates for a future beyondâ'complementary metalâ'oxideâ'semiconductor (CMOS) circuits, offering superior performance at extreme temperatures, in harsh environments, and at high frequencies, due to their reliance on ballistic transport in vacuumâ'like or nanogap airâ'filled environments rather than solidâ'state lattice transport.

Beginning with the mechanisms of electron emission from materials and highlighting the role of nanotechnology in field emission, the Fowlerâ"Nordheim theory of field emission is extensively treated. Enhancements of the Fowlerâ"Nordheim theory and its various alternatives are addressed, with emphasis on the Schottkyâ"Nordheim transmission barrier, the Murphyâ"Good theory, and efforts made to rephrase and reformulate the standard Fowlerâ"Nordheim theory. On the practical side, the key components of fieldâ'emission devices, namely, cold cathodes, arrays, and electron guns, are described. Applications covered include fieldâ'emission displays and lamps, diodes and transistors, microwave power tubes (magnetrons, gyrotrons, klystrons, and travelingâ'wave tubes [TWTs]), information storage devices, sensors, electron microscopy, spectroscopy, scanning probe lithography, Xâ'ray tubes, electric propulsion thrusters, and charge neutralizers. This book concludes with a discussion of research challenges and the future outlook for fieldâ'emission nanoelectronics. This book will be immensely useful to graduate and research students, engineers, and scientists.

Key features:

• Provides a simplified and upâ'toâ'date treatment of the theory and technological applications of field emission in nanoelectronics
• Showcases each fieldâ'emission application by unveiling its operation, unique benefits, fabrication process, key milestones, and emerging research directions
• Brings the underlying mathematical concepts to life with abundant, easyâ'toâ'follow examples