Investigation on the Electrical Characteristics of Vacuum Diode with Nanoscale Channel

A vacuum nano-diode with nanoscale channel formed from the square-hole was proposed and prepared via traditional semiconductor lithography and dry etching fabrication techniques in this paper. A thin dielectric layer with a thickness of about 20 nm corresponds to the channel length, this helps the diode operate in atmospheric environments. The effects of different vacuum channel apertures on the electrical properties of vacuum diodes were explored experimentally, and the reasons for the influence in electrical properties were elaborated in detail. The emission mechanism and working principle of the diode were analyzed through Fowler-Nordheim theory. Besides, the breakdown ability and emission current stability of vacuum diodes with different apertures were investigated by continuously voltage increasing test.