Electron source regeneration method
Assignee38th Research Institute, China Electronics Technology Group Corporation
InventorsXuehui Wang, Zhao Huang, Junting Wang, Tingting Luo, Huarong Liu, Xingjia Yao, Yijing Li, Lei Zheng, Chunning Zheng
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Abstract
The present disclosure provides a method of regenerating an electron source, the electron source including at least one emission site fixed on a needle tip, and the emission site including a reaction product formed by metal atoms and gas molecules. The method includes regenerating the electron source in situ if an emission capability of the electron source satisfies a regeneration condition.
Claims9
A method of regenerating a field emission electron source, the field emission electron source comprising at least one first emission site fixed on a needle tip, the first emission site including a reaction product formed by metal atoms and gas molecules under an electric field, the at least one first emission site is rooted in a surface of the needle tip, rather than dissociative on the surface of the needle tip, the method comprising:
- in response to an emission capability of the field emission electron source satisfying a regeneration condition, regenerating the field emission electron source in situ to form a reaction product formed by metal atoms and gas molecules under an electric field;
- wherein the regenerating the field emission electron source in situ comprises:
- self-forming a protrusion in situ at the needle tip by heating, applying a bias voltage, or a combination thereof responsive to the emission capability of the field emission electron source satisfying the regeneration condition, wherein an outer surface of the protrusion includes the metal atoms;
- and
- forming a second emission site on the outer surface of the protrusion, wherein the second emission site includes a reaction product formed by the metal atoms and the gas molecules;
- or
- wherein the regenerating the field emission electron source in situ comprises:
- forming a highly-reactive active region in situ on a base of the needle tip responsive to the emission capability of the field emission electron source satisfying the regeneration condition, wherein an outer surface of the highly-reactive active region includes the metal atoms;
- and
- forming a second emission site on the outer surface of the highly-reactive active region, wherein the second emission site includes a reaction product formed by the metal atoms and the gas molecules.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.