title: A multifinger microtriode with carbon nanotubes field emission cathode operating at GHz frequency.
abstract: Vacuum microelectronic devices play an important role in the field of micro- and nano-electronics and they have been strongly developed in recent decades. Vacuum microelectronics are mainly based on the field emission effect and the employment of electrons in vacuum in a device with dimensions from tenths to hundredths of a micrometer. In this work, we present the development of a carbon-nanotube-based multifinger microtriode operating from 0.5 to 2 GHz. In this frequency range, a minimum RF signal gain of 5 dB is achieved. Such a device represents an optimized alternative to the standard Spindt-type microtriode. The advantage of such multifinger architecture consists in the possibility to reduce the cathode-grid capacitance by reducing the overlap between the two electrodes using a parallel patterning. This approach allows increasing the cut-off frequency of the devices with respect to the Spindt-type triode. We realized a prototype of the multifinger triode and the field emission properties have been characterized. The frequency behavior has been measured, demonstrating the possibility to amplify RF signal.
authors.affiliation: Department of electronic engineering, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata' via del politecnico 1, 00133, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ulisse
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brunetti
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ciceroni
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gemma
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dispenza
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fiorello
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Carlo