A vacuum field effect transistor using silicon field emitter arrays

Abstract
In this paper we will present results taken from the first planar silicon field emitter array vacuum "field effect transistor". This new device structure replaces the solid channel region of a standard silicon FET with the vacuum. The "source" consists of an array of micron size silicon field emitters from which carriers are injected into the "channel" vacuum region. Gate modulation of this new device structure has produced both voltage and power gain.