Visible and near-ultraviolet emission characteristics of Ne, Ar, and Ar/N₂ excited in silicon microcavity discharge arrays

Atomic and molecular emissions provide a convenient diagnostic of the spatial uniformity of the electrical characteristics of Si microcavity discharge arrays. 10 × 10 arrays of (50 μm)², inverted pyramidal Si microcavity pixels have been studied with Ne, Ar, and Ar/N₂ gas mixtures at pressures up to 800 torr. Nonuniform power loading of pixels in the array, as well as the comparative strength of the electric field within each pixel at the device perimeter, are evident from images of the surface emission from the array.