NSF Award
1147548
A revolutionary new device concept that could enable the transformation of vacuum<br/>microelectronics from single charge carrier to bipolar devices (i.e., positive and negative charge) is<br/>proposed. This transformation is achieved by creating and modulating both ions and electrons<br/>simultaneously in a single vacuum microelectronic device (VMD) and has recently been<br/>demonstrated by RTI International and Duke University. This achievement represents the first<br/>demonstration of bipolar operation in a VMD, and the researchers believe the EArly-concept<br/>Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) Program provides an ideal mechanism for exploratory<br/>study of this new device concept, gaining a basic understanding of the new device operation and<br/>its ultimate potential in comparison to other electron devices. These bipolar vacuum<br/>microelectronic devices (BVMDs) have only recently been demonstrated for the first time, and<br/>thus they are at such an early stage of development that they do not fit within either existing or<br/>pending research programs. However, BMVDs represent a potentially transformative paradigm for<br/>electron devices. If this proposed EAGER program is successful, it could lead to entirely new<br/>fields of applications for VMDs in similar ways that CMOS technology transformed solid-state<br/>electronics.<br/><br/>The BVMD operation provides the equivalent of a field configurable bipolar junction transistor with<br/>all the advantages of VMDs with respect to operating temperature, radiation hardness, and high<br/>power/frequency capabilities. This proposal will focus first on developing a figure of merit that<br/>relates BVMDs to VMD and solid-state devices, followed by a detailed investigation of device<br/>operation across different pressure, temperature, and operational modes. The device model will<br/>be developed based on the COMSOL simulation platform, enabling detailed analysis of both<br/>electron and ion flux in the device as functions of various operating conditions (e.g., pressure,<br/>power, frequency). The simulations will be used to determine operational figures of merit and to<br/>aid in the design, development, and testing of next-generation BVMD devices. The successful<br/>research will enable both a better understanding of the device physics behind BVMDs and the<br/>ability to assess their ultimate potential.
