A FIELD EMISSION DEVICE EMPLOYING A LAYER OF SINGLE-CRYSTAL SILICON

Abstract: A variety of field emission devices (308) and field emission device structures which employ non-substrate layers of single-crystal silicon (203) are provided. By employing non-substrate layers of single-crystal silicon (203), improved emission control is achieved and improved performance controlling devices (406) can be formed within the device structure.

Description: A FIELD EMISSION DEVICE EMPLOYING A LAYER OF SINGLE-CRYSTAL SILICON Technical Field This invention relates generally to cold-cathode field-emission devices and more particularly to cold- cathode field-emission devices formed on surfaces other than the surface of a supporting substrate layer. Background of the Invention Cold-cathode field-emission devices (FEDs) are known in the art. Such cold-cathode field-emission devices employ emitter electrodes with geometric discontinuities of small radius of curvature for the purpose of emitting electrons. The prior art teaches that FEDs are formed by a number of preferred methods. One such method taught by the prior art results in an emitter electrode disposed on the surface of a supporting substrate material, while an alternative method employs selective semiconductor processing to form the emitter electrode directly from the supporting substrate material. A number of impediments to optimum utilization of FEDs can be associated with these and other prior art methods. One such impediment is that control or limitation of emission is not easily implemented within the FED structure. Additionally, under prior art methods, mono-crystal silicon transistor devices are generally restricted to formation in the substrate material in a structure in which FEDs are also located. Therefore, a need exists for an FED formation methodology that can easily incorporate an emitter current limitation mechanism and provide for the formation of single-crystal silicon transistors at locations other than in the substrate material. Summary of the Invention These needs and others are substantially met through provision of the FED formation methodology disclosed herein. A field emission device is provided that comprises a substrate, an insulator layer disposed on at least a part of a surface of the substrate, a layer of single-crystal silicon disposed on at least a part of a surface of the insulator layer, and an emitter disposed on at least a part of a surface of the layer of single crystal silicon. In one embodiment of the invention, as described above, the emitter electrode(s) is(are) disposed on a surface of a layer of single-crystal silicon. In another embodiment of the invention, the gate electrode(s) is(are) formed by selective impurity doping of a layer of single-crystal silicon. In yet another embodiment, a conductive gate material is disposed on a surface of a layer of single- crystal silicon. In still another embodiment of the invention, a layer of single-crystal silicon is selectively patterned to limit the FED emission. In a further embodiment, a layer of single-crystal silicon is selectively doped with impurities. And in yet an additional embodiment of the invention, a transistor device(s) is(are) formed in a(the) layer(s) of single-crystal silicon. Brief Description of the Drawings Figs. 1A-L comprise a series of side elevational depictions of structures resulting from steps tnat yield a first embodiment of the invention; Figs. 2A-G comprise a series of side elevational depictions of structures resulting from steps that yield a second embodiment of the invention; Figs. 3A-D comprise a series of side elevational depictions of structures resulting from steps that yield a third embodiment of the invention; Figs 4A-B comprise a series of side elevational depictions of structures resulting from steps that yield a fourth embodiment of the invention; Figs. 5A-D comprise a series of side elevational depictions of structures resulting from steps that yield a fifth embodiment of the invention; Fig. 6 comprises a side elevational depiction of a structure which forms a sixth embodiment of the invention; Figs. 7A-D comprise a series of side elevational depictions of structures resulting from a second method of forming a layer of single-crystal silicon; Figs. 8A-B comprise a series of side elevational depictions of structures resulting from a third method of forming a layer of single-crystal silicon; Figs. 9A-E comprise a series of side elevational depictions of structures resulting from steps that yield a seventh embodiment of the invention; Fig. 10 comprises a side elevational view depicting an eighth embodiment of the invention; Fig. 11 comprises a side elevational view depicting a tenth embodiment of the invention; Fig. 12 comprises a side elevational view depicting a tenth embodiment of the invention; Fig. 13 comprises a side elevational view depicting an eleventh embodiment of the invention; Fig. 14 comprises a side elevational view depicting a twelfth embodiment of the invention; Fig. 15 is a top plan view depicting a plurality of field emission devices employing a preferentially doped layer of single-crystal silicon; Fig. 16 is a top plan view of a plurality of field emission devices employing a plurality of selectively doped layers of single-crystal silicon; Fig. 17 is a side elevational view depicting a first embodiment of a plurality of field emission devices; and Fig. 18 is a side elevational view depicting a second embodiment of a plurality of field emission devices. Detailed Descriptions of Preferred Embodiments Fig. 1A depicts a substrate (101) which forms the support base on which a field emission device will be formed. An insulator layer (102) is thermally grown or deposited onto the surface of the substrate (101) (Fig. 1 B). This is followed by deposition of a mask layer (102) (Fig. 1 C). The mask layer (103) is selectively exposed, developed, and patterned to provide openings which expose a surface of the underlying insulator layer (102) (Fig. 1 D). An insulator etch is performed to selectively remove insulator material from the insulator layer (102) at the areas of the insulator layer (102) exposed by the patterning of the mask layer (103) to the extent that a part of a surface of the underlying substrate (101) will become exposed (Fig. 1 E). This is followed by removal of the mask layer (103) (Fig. 1 F). The structure so formed is placed in an environment which readily precipitates silicon preferentially onto the exposed substrate (101 ) and continues to precipitate silicon preferentially so as to build-up a layer of single-crystal silicon (104) (Fig. 1G). Such an environment typically contains, in part, silane or di-silane gas. The layer of single-crystal silicon is typically grown in this manner to a thickness on the order of 1μm. Following the growth of the layer of single-crystal silicon (104) an insulator layer (105) is disposed onto a surface of the layer of single-crystal silicon (104) by either thermal oxidation or deposition of a suitable insulator material (Fig. 1 H). A mask layer (106) is next deposited onto the surface of the insulator layer (105) (Fig. 11) and subsequently exposed, developed, and patterned (Fig. 1J). Patterning of the mask layer (106) selectively exposes surface area of the underlying insulator layer (105). An etch step is performed to remove insulator layer (105) material to the extent that a surface of the underlying layer of single-crystal silicon (104) is selectively partially exposed (Fig. 1 K). Subsequently, an emitter (107) is formed on the exposed surface of the layer of single-crystal silicon (104) using methods commonly known in the art (Fig. 1 L). This results in an FED wherein the emitter electrode resides on a layer of single-crystal silicon (104) rather than the substrate (101 ). The layer of single-crystal silicon (104) may be completely electrically isolated from the substrate (101 ) by performing a selective localized etch or selective localized oxidation of the layer of single-crystal silicon (104) at the regions where the layer of single-crystal silicon (104) passes through the intervening insulator layer (102). Figs. 2A-G depict a series of steps for realizing a second embodiment of an FED. In Fig. 2A a substrate (201) is shown. An implantation of ions (204) into the substrate (201 ) with energy sufficient to result in an insulator layer (202) located beneath the surface of the substrate (201 ) is performed (Fig. 2B). This implantation results in a layer of single-crystal silicon (203) disposed on a surface of the insulator layer (202) and electrically isolated from the substrate (201). The implantation process results in lattice damage to the layer of single-crystal silicon (203) which is repaired by annealing the layer of single-crystal silicon (203) to yield a reduced defect density in the layer of single- crystal silicon (203) (Fig. 2C). Subsequently, the FED is formed as depicted in Figs. 2D-G and as described previously with reference to Figs. 1 H-L. However, the layer of single-crystal silicon (203), in this embodiment, is effectively completely isolated from the substrate (201) without the need for selective localized etch or selective localized oxidation. A third embodiment of the invention is realized by repeating the steps described above with respect to Figs. 1A-H. The realization continues with the deposition of a gate electrode (306) onto a surface of the insulator layer (105) (Fig. 3A). This is followed by the deposition of a masking layer (307) onto a surface of a gate electrode (306) (Fig. 3B). The mask layer (307) is then exposed, developed, and patterned and an etch step is performed to remove gate electrode (306) material and insulator layer (105) material to selectively expose a part of a surface of the underlying layer of single-crystal silicon (104) (Fig. 3C). Subsequently, an emitter (308) is formed on the exposed surface of the layer of single-crystal silicon (104) using methods commonly known in the art (Fig. 3D). A fourth embodiment of the invention is realized by first repeating the steps described above with respect to Figs. 2A-D. This is followed by deposition of a gate electrode (406) onto a surface of the insulator layer (205) (Fig. 4A). The realization of the device continues as described above with reference to Figs. 3C and 3D to yield a resultant device as depicted in Fig. 4B having an emitter (308) disposed on the layer of single-crystal silicon (203). A fifth embodiment is realized as an FED having more than one layer of single-crystal silicon. The realization first proceeds as described above with reference to Figs. 1A-K. The structure is then placed in an environment wherein silicon will preferentially precipitate onto the selectively exposed surface of the underlying layer of single-crystal silicon (507) (Fig. 5A). A mask layer (508) is deposited onto a surface of the layer of single-crystal silicon (507) (Fig. 5B). Subsequent exposing, developing, and patterning of the mask layer (508), etching of the selectively exposed layer of single-crystal silicon (507), and etching of the selectively exposed insulator layer (105) will selectively expose a surface of the layer of single- crystal silicon (104) (Fig. 5C). Subsequently, or* emitter (509) is formed on the exposed surface of the layer of single-crystal silicon (104) using methods commonly known in the art (Fig. 5D). It should be observed that each of the layers of single-crystal silicon may be formed by selectively etching an insulator layer to expose the underlying material on which the insulator layer is disposed. By so doing, a structure of successive insulator layers and layers of single-crystal silicon may be formed on a substrate. A sixth embodiment of the invention is realized by first repeating the steps described above for Figs. 2A-C. The realization then continues as described above with reference to Figs. 1 H-J and Figs. 5A-D. The second layer of single-crystal silicon (507) (Fig. 6) may be effectively electrically isolated from the first layer of single-crystal silicon (203) by performing a selective localized etch or selective localized oxidation of the second layer of single-crystal silicon (507) at the locations where the second layer of single crystal silicon (507) extends through the insulator layer (105). Fig. 7A depicts a seventh embodiment of the invention realized with a substrate (701) on which is deposited an insulator layer (702) which has been selectively grown, selectively deposited, or etched to preferentially expose a part of a surface of the underlying substrate (701). The structure is placed in an environment wherein silicon preferentially precipitates onto the partially exposed surface of the substrate (701 ) to form a single-crystal silicon protrusion (703) which extends into the plane of the insulator layer (702) and at least partially occupies the volume coincident with the insulator layer (702) where the insulator layer (702) has been selectively etched or selectively not grown or not deposited (Fig. 7B). Subsequently, a layer of silicon (704) is deposited onto a surface of the insulator layer (702) and onto a surface of the single-crystal silicon protrusion (703) (Fig. 7C). This is followed by recrystallization of the silicon layer (703) to yield a layer of single-crystal silicon (705) (Fig. 7D). The recrystallization of the silicon layer (703) to form the single-crystal silicon layer (705) may be accomplished by any of the methods commonly known in the art included thermal annealing, and laser recrystallization, the purpose of which is to increase crystal grain size and re-orient the lattice of the silicon layer (703) to correspond to that of the lattice of the underlying layer of single-crystal silicon (705). Fig. 8A depicts an eighth embodiment of the invention wherein a layer of silicon (803) has been deposited onto a surface of an insulator (802) and onto the preferentially exposed parts of a surface of a substrate (801). A subsequent recrystallization yields a structure with a layer of single-crystal silicon (804) (Fig. 8B). Figs. 9A-E depict a series of steps to realize a ninth embodiment of the invention. The structure of Fig. 9A, formed by any of the methods described above, has diffused in the layer of single-crystal silicon (903) a bipolar transistor (904). An insulator layer (905) is deposited onto a surface of the layer of single-crystal silicon (903) and effectively covering the bipolar transistor (904). (Fig. 9B). A mask layer (906) is then deposited onto a surface of the insulator layer (905) (Fig. 9C). Subsequent selective exposing, developing, and patterning of the mask layer (906) and selectively etching the insulator layer (905), the layer of single- crystal silicon (903), and the insulator layer (902), selectively exposes a part of a surface of the substrate (Fig. 9D). An emitter (907) is then formed on the exposed surface of the substrate (901 ) using methods commonly known in the art (Fig. 9E). The device so constructed provides for incorporating a bipolar transistor device (904) formed in a layer of single-crystal silicon (903), which layer is not the substrate (901), and which bipolar transistor device (904) resides in close proximity to and as part of the same structure as the FED. Fig. 10 depicts a tenth embodiment of the invention which employs a field-effect transistor (1001 ) which resides at least partially within a layer of single- crystal silicon (1002). The device so constructed provides for incorporating a field-effect transistor device (1001) formed in a layer of single-crystal silicon (1002), which layer of single-crystal silicon (1002) is not the substrate and which field-effect transistor device (1001) resides in close proximity to and as part of the same structure as the FED. Fig. 11 depicts an eleventh embodiment of the invention employing a bipolar transistor device (1101 ) formed in a layer of single-crystal silicon (1103) and having an FED gate electrode (1102) disposed on the layer of single-crystal silicon (1103) and operably coupled to the collector of the bipolar transistor device (1101 ). Fig. 12 depicts a twelfth embodiment of the invention employing a field-effect transistor device (1201 ) formed in a layer of single-crystal silicon (1203) and having an FED gate electrode (1202) disposed on the layer of single-crystal silicon 91103) and operably coupled to the drain of the field-effect transistor device (1201 ). Fig. 13 depicts a thirteenth embodiment of the invention employing a bipolar transistor device (1302) disposed in a layer of single-crystal silicon (1301 ), which layer of single-crystal silicon (1301 ) has been doped with impurities. The layer of single-crystal silicon (1301), so formed, functions as both the collector of the bipolar transistor device (1302) and as the FED gate electrode. Fig. 14 depicts a fourteenth embodiment of the invention employing a field-effect transistor device (1401) disposed in a layer of single-crystal silicon (1402), which layer of single-crystal silicon (1402) has been doped with impurities. The layer of single-crystal silicon (1402), so formed, functions as both the drain of the field-effect transistor device (1401) and as the FED gate electrode. Fig. 15 is a partial top plan depiction of an embodiment of a device (1500) employing a plurality of FEDs which have been selectively electrically interconnected. In this embodiment, the apertures (1503), in which the emitters (1505) are formed, are substantially peripherally individually surrounded by selectively, geometrically shaped gate electrodes (1504). The emitters (1505) are electrically connected to selectively doped resistive regions (1506), which selectively doped resistive regions (1506) are disposed in a layer of single-crystal silicon (1501) and operably coupled to a selectively doped high-conductive stripe (1502), which selectively doped high-conductive stripe is also disposed in a layer of single-crystal silicon (1501). So constructed, the device (1500) functions with independently controlled electron emission at each of the emitters (1505). Fig. 16 is a top plan depiction which illustrates a means of selectively electrically interconnecting the various electrodes of a multiplicity of FEDs of a device (1600) to obtain row and column addressing capability. In this embodiment, the emitters (1603) are selectively operably connected to a selectively doped high- conductive stripe (1602) in a columnar manner such that the emitters (1603) are electrically isolated from emitters (1603) not in the same column. The selectively geometrically patterned gate electrodes (1604) are electrically operably connected to high-conductive stripes (1601 ), which high-conductive stripes (1601 ) may be formed as a deposition of conductive or semiconductor material, or as a selectively doped region of a layer of single-crystal silicon. So constructed, the device (1600) provides for a means of exercising row and column addressing of individual FEDs of the plurality of FEDs in the device (1600). Fig. 17 depicts, in side cross-sectional elevational pictorial form, a selectively operably interconnected plurality of FEDs employing selectively doped resistive regions (1706). In this embodiment, the columns of emitters (1708) are individually operably connected and disposed on individual selectively doped resistive regions (1706), which selectively doped resistive regions (1706) are disposed in a layer of single-crystal silicon (1707). The selectively doped resistive regions (1706) are operably connected to selectively doped high- conductive stripes (1705), which selectively doped high- conductive stripes (1705) are also disposed in a layer of single-crystal silicon (1707). A plurality of FEDs constructed in accordance with this embodiment will have provided a means for independent columnar control of same column emitters (1708) and independent limitation of electron emission from each of the plurality of emitters (1708). Fig. 18 is a side cross-sectional elevational view of a plurality of FEDs in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The emitters (1806) are disposed on a substantially uniformly doped layer of single-crystal silicon (1804). The substantially uniformly doped layer of single-crystal silicon (1804) is implanted with impurities by any of the known methods of semiconductor doping to provide that the substantially uniformly doped layer of single-crystal silicon (1804) will function as a distributed resistive element to effectively limit the electron emission from each of the plurality of emitters (1806) in an independent manner. It will be immediately obvious to those skilled in the art and familiar with the known configurations of FEDs that emitters may be formed in shapes other than the depicted conical shape. Some other emitter shapes include wedges of varying lengths and being either straight or serpentine. For such emitter configurations, the associated aperture will be non-circularly cylindrical and will conform substantially symmetrically to the elongated shape of the emitter. Further, the methods described may be extended to provide field emission devices with more than two layers of single- crystal silicon and/or more than a single electrode in addition to the emitter. Such field emission devices will typically take the form of tetrode or pentode devices commonly known and described in the literature. What is claimed is:

Claims: Claim? 1 . A field emission device comprising: a substrate; an insulator layer disposed on at least a part of a surface of the substrate; a layer of single-crystal silicon disposed on at least a part of a surface of the insulator layer; an emitter disposed on at least a part of a surface of the layer of single-crystal silicon. 2. The field emission device of claim 1 wherein the layer of single-crystal silicon is disposed substantially parallel and non-coplanar with respect to the substrate. 3. The field emission device of claim 1 wherein the layer of single-crystal silicon is on the order of 1μm thick. 4. The field emission device of claim 1 wherein the layer of single crystal silicon is selectively doped with impurities. 5. The field emission device of claim 4 wherein the selective doping of the layer of single-crystal silicon forms at least one high-conductive stripe. 6. The field emission device of claim 4 wherein the selective doping of the layer of single-crystal silicon forms at least one electrically resistive region. 7. A method for forming a field emission device, the method comprising: (A) providing a substrate; (B) forming an insulator layer on at least part of one surface of the substrate; (C) forming a layer of single-crystal silicon on at least part of a surface of the insulator layer; and (D) forming an emitter disposed on at least part of a surface of the layer of single-crystal silicon. 8. The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the layer of single-crystal silicon is formed by means of epitaxial growth. 9. The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the layer of single crystal silicon is formed by recrystallization of deposited amorphous silicon. 10. The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the layer of single-crystal silicon is formed by recrystallization of deposited poly-crystalline silicon. 1 1 . The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the step (C) of forming a layer of single-crystal silicon comprises the steps of: (C1 ) depositing a photo-sensitive or electro- sensitive mask layer on a surface of the insulator layer; (C2) selectively patterning the mask layer to expose selected areas of a surface of the insulator layer; (C3) etching selectively exposed areas of the insulator layer to selectively expose at least a part of the surface of the substrate; (C4) removing the mask layer; and (C5) placing the selectively exposed substrate with selectively etched insulator layer into an environment wherein atoms of silicon will precipitate from the environment and bond with atoms of the selectively exposed at least part of the surface of the substrate to form a substantially identical extension of the crystal structure of the substrate. 12. The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the insulator layer is formed by implantation of ions beneath the surface of the substrate. 13. The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the layer of single-crystal silicon is formed as a consequence of implanting an insulator layer beneath the surface of the substrate. 14. The method in accordance with claim 13 wherein the layer of single-crystal silicon is thermally annealed. 15. The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the insulator layer is thermally grown from the substrate. 16. The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the insulator layer is deposited. 17. The method in accordance with claim 11 wherein the layer of single crystal silicon is selectively oxidized to electrically isolate the layer of siπgle- crystal silicon with respect to the substrate. 18. The method in accordance with claim 11 wherein the layer of single-crystal silicon is selectively etched to electrically isolate the layer of single-crystal silicon with respect to the substrate. 19. An electronic device comprising: a field emission device having an emitter, wherein the emitter of the field emission device is disposed on at least a part of a surface of a layer of single-crystal silicon, which layer of single-crystal silicon is disposed on at least a part of one surface of an insulating layer; a transistor device disposed at least partially in a layer of single-crystal silicon and operably coupled to the emitter of the field emission device. 20. The electronic device of claim 19 wherein the transistor device is a bipolar transistor. 21 . The electronic device of claim 19 wherein the transistor device is a field-effect transistor. 22. An electronic device comprising: a plurality of field emission devices wherein each of the plurality of field emission devices is comprised of at least an emitter, at least some of which emitters of the plurality of field emission devices are disposed on a part of a surface of a layer of single- crystal silicon, which layer of single-crystal silicon is disposed on at least a part of a surface of an insulating layer; a transistor device disposed at least partially in a layer of single-crystal silicon and operably coupled to at least some of the emitters of the plurality of field emission devices. 23. The electronic device of claim 22 wherein the layer of single-crystal silicon is selectively patterned. 24. The electronic device of claim 22 wherein the layer of single-crystal silicon is selectively doped. 25. The electronic device of claim 22 wherein the transistor device is a bipolar transistor. 26. The electronic device of claim 22 wherein the transistor device is a field-effect transistor. 27. An electronic device comprising: a plurality of field emission devices wherein each of the plurality of field emission devices is comprised of at least an emitter, at least some of which emitters of the plurality of field emission devices are disposed on a part of a surface of a layer of single- crystal silicon, which layer of single-crystal silicon is disposed on at least a part of a surface of an insulating layer; a plurality of transistor devices disposed at least partially in a layer of single-crystal silicon wherein at least some of said plurality of transistor devices are operably coupled to at least some of the emitters of the plurality of field emission devices. 28. The electronic device of claim 27 wherein the layer of single-crystal silicon is selectively patterned. 29. The electronic device of claim 27 wherein the layer of single-crystal silicon is selectively doped with impurities. 30. The electronic device of claim 27 wherein at least some of the plurality of transistor devices are bipolar transistors. 31 . The electronic device of claim 27 wherein at least some of the plurality of transistor devices are field-effect transistors. 32. A field emission device comprising: a substrate; a first insulator layer disposed on at least a part of a surface of the substrate; a first layer of single-crystal silicon disposed on at least part of a surface of the first insulator layer; at least a second insulator layer disposed on at least part of a surface of the first layer of single- crystal silicon; at least a second layer of single-crystal silicon disposed on at least part of a surface of the second insulator layer. 33. The field emission device of claim 32 wherein the layer of single-crystal silicon is disposed substantially parallel and non-coplanar with respect to the substrate. 34. The field emission device of claim 32 wherein the layers of single-crystal silicon are each on the order of 1μm thick. 35. The field emission device of claim 32 wherein a gate electrode of the field emission device is disposed in the at least second layer of single-crystal silicon. 36. A method for forming a field emission device, the method comprising the steps of: (A) providing a substrate; (B) forming a first insulator layer on at least a part of a surface of the substrate; (C) forming a first layer of single-crystal silicon on at least a part of the surface of the first insulator layer; (D) forming at least a second insulator layer on at least a part of a surface of the first layer of single-crystal silicon;and (E) forming at least a second layer of single-crystal silicon on at least a part of a surface of the second insulator layer. 37. The method in accordance with claim 36 wherein at least one layer of single-crystal silicon is formed by epitaxial growth. 38. The method in accordance with claim 36 wherein at least one layer of single-crystal silicon is formed by recrystallization of deposited amorphous silicon. 39. The method in accordance with claim 36 wherein at least one layer of single-crystal silicon is formed by recrystallization of deposited poly-crystal silicon. 40. The method in accordance with claim 37 wherein the epitaxial growth of said at least one layer of single- crystal silicon includes the steps of: (A) depositing a photo-sensitive or electro- sensitive mask layer on a surface of an insulator layer; (B) selectively patterning the mask layer to expose selected areas on a surface of the insulator layer; (C) etching the selectively exposed areas of the insulator layer to selectively expose at least part of the surface of the underlying material on which the insulator layer is disposed; (D) removing the mask layer; and (E) placing the selectively exposed underlying material with selectively etched insulator layer into an environment wherein atoms of silicon will precipitate from the environment and bond with atoms of the selectively exposed surface of the underlying material to form a substantially identical extension of the crystal struc re of the underlying material. 41 . The method in accordance with claim 40 wherein the underlying material is the substrate. 42. The method in accordance with claim 40 wherein the underlying material is a layer of single crystal silicon. 43. The method in accordance with claim 36 wherein at least one insulator layer is formed by implantation of ions beneath the surface of the substrate. 44. The method in accordance with claim 36 wherein at least one layer of single-crystal silicon is formed as a consequence of implanting an insulator layer beneath the surface of the substrate. 45. The method in accordance with claim 36 wherein at least one insulator layer is thermally grown. 46. The method in accordance with claim 36 wherein at least one insulator layer is deposited. 47. The method in accordance with claim 40 wherein at least one layer of single-crystal silicon is selectively oxidized to electrically isolate the at least one layer of single-crystal silicon from the underlying material. 48. The method in accordance with claim 40 wherein at least one layer of single-crystal silicon is selectively etched to electrically isolate said at least one layer of single-crystal silicon from the underlying material. 49. The field emission device of claim 32 wherein at least one layer of single-crystal silicon is selectively doped with impurities. 50. The field emission device of claim 49 wherein the selective doping forms at least one electrically high-conductive stripe disposed in said at least one layer of single-crystal silicon. 51 . The field emission device of claim 49 wherein the selective doping forms at least one electrically resistive region disposed in said at least one layer of single-crystal silicon. 52. The field emission device of claim 49 wherein the selective doping forms a gate electrode disposed in said at least one layer of single-crystal silicon. 53. An electronic device comprising: a field emission device having a gate electrode; a transistor device disposed at least partially in a layer of single-crystal silicon and operably coupled to the gate electrode of the field emission device. 54. The electronic device of claim 53 wherein the transistor device is a bipolar transistor. 55. The electronic device of claim 53 wherein the transistor device is a field-effect transistor. 56. An electronic device comprising: a plurality of field emission devices having gate electrodes; a transistor device disposed at least partially in a layer of single-crystal silicon and operably coupled to at least some of the gate electrodes of the plurality of field emission devices. 57. The electronic device of claim 56 wherein the layer of single crystal silicon is selectively patterned. 58. The electronic device of claim 56 wherein the layer of single-crystal silicon is selectively doped. 59. The electronic device of claim 56 wherein the transistor device is a bipolar transistor. 60. The electronic device of claim 56 wherein the transistor device is a field-effect transistor. 61 . An electronic device comprising; a plurality of field emission devices having gate electrodes; a plurality of transistor devices disposed in a layer of single-crystal silicon at least some of which plurality of transistor devices are operably coupled to at least some of the gate electrodes of the plurality of field emission devices. 62. The electronic device of claim 61 wherein the layer of single crystal silicon is selectively patterned. 63. The electronic device of claim 61 wherein the layer of single crystal silicon is selectively doped. 64. The electronic device of claim 61 wherein at least some of the plurality of transistor devices are bipolar transistors. 65. The electronic device of claim 61 wherein at least some of the plurality of transistor devices are field-effect transistors.

Inventors: KANE ROBERT C, KANE, ROBERT, C.
Applicants: MOTOROLA INC, MOTOROLA, INC.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: H01L21
IPC codes: H01J1, H01J9, H03F3