Patent ID: 6524874
Filing Date: 2003-02-25
Classification: B82Y,H01J,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of forming field emission emitter tips, comprising:submerging at least a portion of a masking-material-covered semiconductor substrate in a liquid; providing particulates suspended on an upper surface of the liquid; while the particulates are suspended, moving the submerged masking-material-covered substrate relative to the suspended particulates to form a tightly packed monolayer of the particulates supported on masking material covering the masking-material-covered substrate; decreasing a dimension of the particulates to leave some portions of the masking material covered by the particulates and other portions of the masking material uncovered by the particulates; after decreasing the dimension, exposing the masking-material-covered substrate to first etching conditions to remove uncovered portions of the masking material and define a patterned masking layer; removing the particulates; and while the patterned masking layer is over the semiconductor substrate, exposing the semiconductor substrate to second etching conditions to pattern the semiconductor substrate into emitter tips.