Integration of vacuum microelectronic device with integrated circuit

1. A method making a device comprising:

obtaining an integrated circuit (IC);

forming an ultra-small resonant structure on an external surface of the IC, wherein said ultra-small resonant structure is constructed and adapted to emit electromagnetic radiation (EMR) in response to excitation by a beam of charged particles; and

vacuum packaging at least said ultra-small resonant structure.

2. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

electrically grounding said ultra-small resonant structure.

3. A method as in claim 2 further comprising:

forming a region on said IC;

grounding said region; and

electrically connecting said ultra-small resonant structure to said region.

4. A method as in claim 3 wherein said region is grounded by being electrically connected to a connection pin of said IC.

5. A method as in claim 2 wherein said ultra-small resonant structure is electrically grounded by electrically connecting said ultra-small resonant structure to a connection pin of said IC.

6. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

electrically connecting said ultra-small resonant structure to a known electrical potential.

7. A method as in claim 6 further comprising:

forming a region on said IC;

electrically connecting said region to a known electrical potential; and

electrically connecting said ultra-small resonant structure to said region.

8. A method as in claim 7 wherein said region is set to said known electrical potential by being electrically connected to a connection pin of said IC.

9. A method as in claim 6 wherein said ultra-small resonant structure is electrically connected to a connection pin of said IC to provide the known electrical potential.

10. A method as in claim 1 wherein said step of vacuum packaging comprises:

hermetically sealing at least said ultra-small resonant structure.

11. A method as in any one of claims 1 - 10 wherein the beam is emitted by a source of charged particles.

12. A method as in claim 11 wherein said source of charged particles is selected from the group comprising:

an ion gun, a thermionic filament, tungsten filament, a cathode, a vacuum triode, a field emission cathode, a planar vacuum triode, an electron-impact ionizer, a laser ionizer, a chemical ionizer, a thermal ionizer, an ion-impact ionizer.

13. A method as in claim 11 wherein the charged particles are selected from the group comprising: positive ions, negative ions, electrons, and protons.

14. A method as in claim 1 wherein the ultra-small resonant structure is constructed and adapted to emit at least one of visible light, infrared light, and ultraviolet light.

15. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

electrically connecting said ultra-small resonant structure to said IC.

16. A method of making a device comprising:

forming at least one ultra-small resonant structure on an external surface of an integrated circuit (IC), wherein said ultra-small resonant structure is constructed and adapted to emit electromagnetic radiation (EMR) in response to excitation by a beam of charged particles; and

vacuum packaging at least said at least one ultra-small resonant structure.

17. A device comprising:

an integrated circuit (IC); and

at least one ultra-small resonant structure formed on an external surface of said IC), wherein said ultra-small resonant structure is constructed and adapted to emit electromagnetic radiation (EMR) in response to excitation by a beam of charged particles.

18. A device as in claim 17 wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is vacuum packaged.

19. A device as in claim 17 wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is electrically grounded.

20. A device as in claim 17 wherein said at least on ultra-small resonant structure is electrically connected to a known electrical potential.

21. A device as in claim 17 further comprising:

at least one electrically grounded region formed on said IC, wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is electrically grounded by being connected to said least one region.

22. A device as in claim 17 further comprising:

at least one region formed on said IC, said at least one region being electrically connected to a known electrical potential, wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is electrically connected to said least one region.

23. A device as in claim 17 wherein at least one of said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is electrically connected to said IC.

24. A device as in claim 17 further comprising:

a deflector electrically connected to said IC and constructed and adapted to control said EMR emitted by said at least one ultra-small resonant structure.

25. A device as in claim 24 wherein said deflector comprises:

one or more deflector plates.

26. A device as in claim 25 wherein said deflector plates are formed on the same external surface of the IC as the at least one resonant structure.

27. A device as in claim 25 wherein said deflector controls said EMR by selectively deflecting said beam of charged particles.

28. A device as in claim 17 wherein the beam is emitted by a source of charged particles.

29. A device as in claim 28 wherein said source of charged particles is selected from the group comprising:

an ion gun, a tungsten filament, a cathode, a planar vacuum triode, an electron-impact ionizer, a laser ionizer, a chemical ionizer, a thermal ionizer, and an ion-impact ionizer.

30. A device as in claim 28 wherein the charged particles are selected from the group comprising: positive ions, negative ions, electrons, and protons.

31. A method of making a circuit comprising:

obtaining an integrated circuit (IC);

forming at least one ultra-small resonant structure, wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is electrically connected to said IC and is constructed and adapted to emit electromagnetic radiation (EMR) in response to excitation by a beam of charged particles; and

vacuum packaging said circuit.

32. A method as in claim 31 further comprising:

forming a first dielectric layer on a surface of said IC;

forming an interconnect layer on said first dielectric layer; and

forming a second dielectric layer on said interconnect layer, wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is formed on said second dielectric layer.

33. A method as in claim 32 further comprising:

forming at least one contact via in said second dielectric layer to allow electrical connection of an ultra-small resonant structure on said substrate to said interconnect layer, and

forming a second contact via in said first dielectric layer to allow electrical connection of said IC to said interconnect layer,

wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is electrically connected to said IC via said first contact via, said interconnect layer and said second contact via.

34. A method as in claim 32 wherein said first dielectric layer comprises SiO 2 .

35. A method as in claim 32 wherein said second dielectric layer comprises SiO 2 .

36. A method as in claim 32 wherein said interconnect layer comprises a metal selected from the group comprising: gold (Au), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al) and tungsten (W).

37. A method as in claim 31 wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is formed on a surface of said IC.

38. A method as in claim 31 further comprising:

forming a first dielectric layer on a surface of said IC;

forming an interconnect layer on said first dielectric layer; wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is formed on said interconnect layer.

39. A method as in any one of claims 31 - 37 wherein the beam is emitted by a source of charged particles.

40. A method as in claim 39 wherein said source of charged particles is selected from the group comprising:

an ion gun, a tungsten filament, a cathode, a planar vacuum triode, an electron-impact ionizer, a laser ionizer, a chemical ionizer, a thermal ionizer, and an ion-impact ionizer.

41. A method as in claim 39 wherein the charged particles are selected from the group comprising: positive ions, negative ions, electrons, and protons.

42. A method as in any one of claims 31 - 37 wherein the at least on ultra-small resonant structure is constructed and adapted to emit at least one of visible light, infrared light, and ultraviolet light.

43. A circuit comprising:

an integrated circuit (IC); and

at least one ultra-small resonant structure electrically connected to said IC, wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is constructed and adapted to emit electromagnetic radiation (EMR) in response to excitation by a beam of charged particles and wherein said IC and said at least one ultra-small resonant structure are vacuum packaged.

44. A circuit as in claim 43 wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is formed on a surface of said IC.

45. A circuit as in claim 43 further comprising:

a first dielectric layer formed on a surface of said IC;

an interconnect layer on said first dielectric layer; and

a second dielectric layer on said interconnect layer, wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is formed on said second dielectric layer.

46. A circuit as in claim 43 further comprising:

a first dielectric layer on a surface of said IC;

an interconnect layer on said first dielectric layer; wherein said at least one ultra-small resonant structure is formed on said interconnect layer.