Fabrication and characteristics of lateral type GaN field-emission arrays using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

Lateral type GaN field-emission diodes were fabricated by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. In forming the pattern, two kinds of procedures were proposed: a selective etching method with electron cyclotron resonance-reactive ion etching (ECR-RIE) or a simple selective growth utilizing Si₃N₄ film as the masking layer. The device fabricated using ECR-RIE exhibited electrical characteristics such as a turn-on voltage of 35 V for a 7 μm gap and an emission current of ∼580 nA/10 tips at an anode-to-cathode voltage of 100 V. The field emission characteristics of GaN tips were attributed to the tip structure, low electron affinity and short distance between the cathode and anode tips. © 2003 American Vacuum Society.