NEA Vacuum Microelectronics

Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI), in partnership with Brookhaven National Lab (BNL), will develop vacuum channel-based microelectronic analogues of the classic vacuum diodes and triodes, as well as novel single element logic gates. Proposed devices possess an inherent physical and data-fault tolerance of extreme conditions such as ionizing radiation and temperature. The key advance embodied by the proposed devices is the use of materials possessing stable, robust negative electron affinity (NEA) surfaces, enabling design of circuit elements with ultra-low operating voltage and power usage, resistance to self-induced electrical discharge damage and high operating speed while retaining an exceptionally low cost to manufacture. During the Phase I program, PSI will carry out computational modeling of various device types before designing a series of solid-state vacuum diodes, triodes and other devices to be fabricated by BNL at its Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN). Test devices will be evaluated at PSI for switching speed, voltage and power consumption, high power tolerance and their ability to support analogue operations such as amplification. In Phase II the most promising device families will be incorporated into representative Integrated Circuits (ICs), a miniaturizing fab process developed and the resulting circuits tested under operation at the BNL-hosted NASA Space Radiation Laboratory. Approved for Public Release |21-MDA-10789 (21 Apr 21)