Electron emitter including carbon nanotubes and its application in gas discharge devices
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsXiao-Dong Sun, Feng Jin, Anant Setlur
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Abstract
An electron emitter includes a coating layer of a mixture of carbon nanotubes and alkali-earth metal oxides on an electrically conducting structure. The preferred carbon nanotubes are those having a diameter less than about 200 nm. A substantial portion of electron emission is liberated from the carbon nanotubes, thus lessening the requirement on the alkali-earth oxides. Such an electron emitter is advantageously used in gas discharge devices to increase the energy efficiency thereof.
Claims38
A composition for electron emitters of gas discharge devices comprising a mixture of carbon nanotubes and oxygen-containing compounds of alkali-earth metals.
A gas discharge device comprising an electron emitter which comprises an electrically conductive material coated with a mixture of carbon nanotubes and oxygen-containing compounds of alkali-earth metals.
A method for making an electron emitter of a gas discharge device comprising the steps of:
- providing an amount of carbon nanotubes and an amount of oxygen-containing compounds of alkali-earth metals in proportions such that an electron emission from said carbon nanotubes is a substantial portion of a total quantity of electrons emitted from said electron emitter;
- mixing said carbon nanotubes and said oxygen-containing compounds of alkali-earth metals to form a mixture;
- providing an electrically conducting structure for said electron emitter;
- depositing said mixture on said electrically conducting structure;
- and
- converting said oxygen-containing compounds of alkali-earth metals to alkali-earth metal oxides to form said electron emitter.
A method for making an electron emitter of a gas discharge device comprising the steps of:
- providing an amount of oxygen-containing compounds of alkali-earth metals and an amount of catalyst particles;
- dispersing said catalyst particles in said oxygen-containing compounds of alkali-earth metals to form a mixture;
- providing an electrically conducting structure for said electron emitter;
- depositing said mixture on said electrically conducting structure;
- converting said oxygen-containing compounds of alkali-earth metals to alkali-earth metal oxides;
- and
- forming carbon nanotubes on said catalyst particles to form said electron emitter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.