Field-Emission Light Sources Based on Porous Silicon Planar Electron Emitter

This article proposes a novel field-emission light source (FELS) with a simplified structure that can be operated under low-pressure conditions. The flat-format FELS, driven by a porous silicon (PS)-based planar electron emitter, exhibits bright luminescence at a low field emission current density of approximately $5~\mu $ A/cm2 even at the ambient pressure as high as $10^{{2}}$ Pa. This suggests the favorable energy conversion efficiency for this FELS device. Moreover, this novel FELS achieves reduced thermal effects and power consumption due to its lower driving voltage and conduction current compared with the conventional device. The repeatability within 8% and the stability below 3% of the PS planar emitter further supports its potential for FELS applications. As a promising on-chip electron source, the PS-based cold cathode opens avenues for future high-performance, low cost, silicon-compatible FELS with large area and operation at ambient pressure.