Optimal design of integrally gated CNT field-emission devices using a genetic algorithm

Abstract

A method to optimize the focusing quality of integrally gated CNT field- emission ( FE) devices by combining field- emission modeling and a computational intelligence technique, genetic algorithm ( GA), is proposed and demonstrated. In this work, the e- beam shape, as a characteristic parameter of electron- optical properties, is calculated by field- emission simulation modeling. Using a design tool that combines GA and physical modeling, a set of structural and electrical parameters for four FE device groups, including double- gate, triple- gate, quadruple- gate and quintuple- gate type, were optimized. The resultant FE devices exhibit satisfactory e- beam focusabilities and the extracted parameters with the best performance for each type of FE device were represented to be fabricated by a VLSI technique. The GA- based automatic design parameter extraction will significantly benefit the design of integrated electron- optical systems for versatile vacuum micro- and nano-electronic applications.