Large scale stable field emitter for high current applications

A field emission electron source device comprising:

• an electrode integrated into a substrate or an electrode bonded to a substrate;
• an emitter surface comprised of a plurality of individual nanoscale field emitters;
• and
• a current sharing matrix layer matrix material located between the plurality of individual nanoscale field emitters and the substrate or incorporated into the substrate;
• wherein
• the current sharing matrix layer comprises a plurality of series resistive pathways between the plurality of individual nanoscale field emitters and the electrode to force current sharing among the plurality of individual nanoscale field emitters, and
• in use, the field emission electron source device emits electrons with a spatially even distribution across an emitter region of the emitter surface having an area of at least one square millimeter and delivers stable electron emission with a current density greater or equal to one milliampere per square millimeter.

An X-Ray field emission device comprising:

• a cathode comprising one or more field emission electron source devices wherein each of the one or more field emission electron source devices comprises:
• an electrode integrated into a substrate or an electrode bonded to a substrate;
• an emitter surface comprised of a plurality of individual nanoscale field emitters;
• and
• a current sharing matrix layer matrix material located between the plurality of individual nanoscale field emitters and the substrate or incorporated into the substrate;
• wherein
• the current sharing matrix layer comprises a plurality of series resistive pathways between the plurality of individual nanoscale field emitters and the electrode to force current sharing among the plurality of individual nanoscale field emitters, and
• in use, the field emission electron source device emits electrons with a spatially even distribution across an emitter region of the emitter surface having an area of at least one square millimeter and delivers stable electron emission with a current density greater or equal to one milliampere per square millimeter;
• an electric field extraction electrode;
• control electronics for switching the field emission one or more field emission electron source devices on and off;
• an anode comprising a target material configured to generate X-Ray emissions when impacted by electrons generated by the one or more field emission electron source devices;
• and
• a vacuum chamber comprising a window for allowing passage of the X-rays generated from the anode.