Systems and methods for fabricating carbon nanotube-based vacuum electronic devices

1. A method of fabricating a carbon nanotube-based vacuum electronic device, comprising:

growing carbon nanotubes onto a substrate to form a cathode;

assembling a stack comprising:

the cathode;

an anode; and

a first layer that includes an alignment slot;

disposing a microsphere partially into the alignment slot during the assembling of the stack such that the microsphere protrudes from the alignment slot and can thereby separate the first layer from an adjacent layer; and

encasing the stack in a vacuum sealed container.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein assembling the stack comprises using automatic or semi-automatic precision equipment to implement a pick and place assembly technique to assemble the stack.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the stack further comprises a further electrode.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the further electrode is one of: an extraction grid electrode, a gate electrode, and a focusing electrode.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the further electrode is one of an extraction grid electrode and a gate electrode, and wherein the further electrode comprises one of: micromachined silicon grids and electroformed metal mesh.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the further electrode comprises electroformed metal mesh that is one of: a TEM grid and a standard filter mesh.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the stack further comprises a dielectric layer.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the dielectric layer is one of: a ring-shaped mica and a ring-shaped ceramic.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the thickness of the dielectric layer is between approximately 10 μm and approximately 100 μm.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first layer houses one of: the cathode, the anode, the further electrode, and the dielectric layer.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein assembling the stack further comprises affixing the spatial relationship of the layers and electrodes within the stack using one of: vacuum compatible epoxy, hard-mounting mechanical fixtures, and mixtures thereof.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein encasing the stack in a vacuum sealed container comprises placing the stack in a standard vacuum tube package, evacuating the vacuum tube package to high vacuums, and hermetically sealing the vacuum tube package.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein encasing the stack in a vacuum sealed container comprises using a solder reflow bonding technique.

14. The method of claim 7 , wherein disposing a microsphere partially into the alignment slot comprises using an end effector to place the microsphere into the alignment slot.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the end effector is one of: vacuum tweezers and micromachined active grippers.

16. The method of claim 7 , wherein assembling the stack further comprises testing each layer of the stack for alignment accuracy.

17. The method of claim 7 , wherein assembling the stack further comprises attaching the cathode to an assembly platform using solder reflow or conductive epoxies that are vacuum compatible.

18. The method of claim 7 , wherein the carbon nanotubes are grown onto a substrate comprising titanium.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the grown carbon nanotubes are welded to the substrate.

20. The method of claim 7 , wherein the microsphere is disposed so as to help align the first layer with respect to an adjacent layer.