Thermal Analysis and Packaging for Field Emitter Robust Vacuum Integrated Nanoelectronics

Before the invention of transistors and solid-state semiconductor devices, vacuum tubes were commonly used for signal amplification and current rectification. These were prevalent in the industry for the better part of the early 20th century, with applications in radio, television, radar, and telephones. Solid-state devices, which are smaller, faster, more durable, more efficient, and more economical than vacuum tubes, have replaced them. However, the recent invention of nanoscale vacuum transistors provides an alternative to solid-state transistors with the benefits of a vacuum tube and the size and scale of solid-state transistors. In these devices, electrons flow across a vacuum nanogap from emitter to collector. The electrons can travel at higher speeds in a vacuum than in a solid channel due to fewer collisions achieving higher current densities. Vacuum transistors are also impervious to radiation effects and can operate at much higher temperatures than traditional solid-state electronics. Hence, VFETS are an attractive option for some space and other high vacuum applications. In this project, we are investigating electro-thermo-mechanical effects in VFETS. Specifically, we are studying the heating and deflections of an air-bridge anode.