Operation principles of micro-plasma field effect transistor

We present design and theory of 3-dimensional micro-plasma field effect transistors (MOPFETs) that operate with atmospheric plasma. Both rf and dc plasmas were generated internally inside the MOPFET or using a separate device that generates the plasma for the MOPFET. The voltage applied to the MOPFET gate modifies the ionization rates of the gases in the channel between the drain and source. When the drain-source distance is larger than a few micrometers, the standard Paschen curve dictates the breakdown voltage while for smaller gaps a modified Paschen behavior based on the ion-enhanced field emission predicts a breakdown field that scales linearly with the gap distance becoming smaller for smaller gaps. MOPFETs terminal characteristics along with its hybrid pi model parameters are described.