Three-Dimensional Monte Carlo Simulation of Silicon Field Emitters

Using a particle-based Monte Carlo modeling approach we study the characteristics of silicon field emitter devices. We use an unstructured mesh based on tetrahedral elements to describe the device geometry in 3-D, and we treat silicon and vacuum on equal footing when tracking electrons in both regions. We compare several tunnel models by evaluating the current-voltage characteristics of a single field-emitting silicon pillar. Furthermore, we perform an initial model validation, comparing the simulated current–voltage characteristic to the measured values for gated silicon filed emitter.