General Vacuum Electronics

Abstract

The electron devices in which electrons do not collide with other particles or in which the collision probability is very small in the transport process can be theoretically regarded as general vacuum electron devices. General vacuum electron devices include microfabricated vacuum nano-electronic devices, which can work in atmosphere, and some solid-state electron devices with nanoscale channel for electrons whose material characteristics are close to those of vacuum channels. Vacuum nano-electron devices (e.g., nanotriodes) are expected to be the fundamental elements for high-speed, radiation-resistant large-scale vacuum integrated circuits. The solid-state electron devices with spin semiconductor materials, multiferroics or topological crystal insulators are quite different from traditional semiconductor devices and are expected to operate under novel principles. Understanding vacuum electron devices from a microcosmic perspective and understanding solid-state electron devices from a vacuum perspective will promote a union of vacuum electronics and microelectronics, as well as the formation and development of general vacuum electronics.