Design of high-vacuum test station for rapid evaluation of vacuum microelectronic devices

• Published in: IEEE transactions on electron devices Vol. 38; no. 10; pp. 2350 - 2354
• Main Authors: Busta, H.H., Pogemiller, J.E., Zimmerman, B.J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01-10-1991
• Subjects: Copper; Fingers; Heating; Microelectronics; Silicon compounds; Substrates; Temperature; Testing; Thin film devices; Vacuum systems
• ISSN: 0018-9383; 1557-9646
• DOI: 10.1109/16.88524

A vacuum test station has been designed allowing for rapid evaluation of vacuum microelectronic devices. The system consists of a turbo-pumped vacuum chamber reaching a base pressure, at room temperature, of 3*10/sup -9/ torr. Devices which are fabricated on silicon or fused silica substrates are placed on a copper base which is part of a cold finger cryostat. Test temperatures can be varied from 20 to 500 K. Baking of the devices can be accomplished by thin-film heating elements integrated onto the substrates or by heating coils placed inside the chamber. Cleaning of electrode surfaces can be performed via an argon ion gun system and/or by electron bombardment. The performance of the system is demonstrated for a Spindt emitter array.< >