Arrays of Si Field Emitter Individually Regulated by Si Nanowires High Breakdown Voltages and Enhanced Performance

We fabricate Si field emitter arrays (FEAs) with integrated Si nanowire current limiters and investigate a method to enable higher voltage operation, which can potentially increase achievable current densities. In this work, we focus on the dielectric breakdown occurring in the vicinity of the nanopillar. A deeper etch is shown to increase the breakdown voltage but at the expense of poorer field emission characteristics possibly due to the loss of mechanical support or increased surface states.