Abstract:
An electron emitter comprising a body of a wide band gap material using double injection space-charge limited current. By using double injection of carriers to establish space-charge limited currents in high resistivity p-type semiconductors, the number of minority carriers can be increased considerably without raising the Fermi level above mid band gap. By using such double injection space-charge limited current a sufficient amount of large energy minority carriers are placed in the conduction band in a p-type semiconductor. A monoatomic layer of cesium and oxygen is positioned on the positively biased contact. This places a negative electron affinity surface layer on the device. The electrons in the conduction band then have enough energy to impel electrons into a vacuum.
Abstract:
A method of forming an ohmic contact between a conductor and a silicon substrate having a resistivity greater than 5 ohm-cm. by etching the substrate, heating it in an atmosphere of inert gas, pressing the conductor into contact with the substrate, and allowing sufficient current to flow through the conductor and the substrate to form the contact.