Subject Area

Electrical, Electronics Engineering

Abstract

Field emitter arrays (FEAs) have the potential to operate at high frequencies and withstand harsh environments, such as radiation and high temperatures. However, they are sensitive to gaseous environments. This study examines the impact of different gas environments on silicon (Si) and gallium nitride (GaN) FEAs. To investigate the failure mechanisms, a vacuum system was designed and fabricated to monitor emission uniformity using a phosphor screen. Additionally, a vacuum system was created to introduce high-purity gases into the chamber while operating the devices. The results indicate that both types of FEAs are susceptible to oxidizing environments. Argon (Ar) did not significantly affect the emission current, whereas nitrogen (N2) enhanced the current.

Degree Date

Summer 8-6-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Department

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Advisor

Bruce Gnade

Second Advisor

Dinesh Rajan

Number of Pages

80

Format

.pdf

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

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