Electron device electron source including a polycrystalline diamond
AssigneeMotorola, Inc.
InventorsLawrence N. Dworsky, James E. Jaskie, Robert C. Kane
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electron device employing an electron source including a polycrystalline diamond film having a surface with a plurality of crystallographic planes some of which exhibit a very low/negative electron affinity such as, for example, the 111 crystallographic plane of type II-B diamond. Electron devices employing such electron sources are described including image generation electron devices, light source electron devices, and information signal amplifier electron devices.
Claims20
An electron device electron source comprising a polycrystalline diamond film having a surface including a plurality of crystallographic planes some of which exhibit an inherent affinity to retain electrons disposed at/near the surface which is less than 1.0 electron volt.
An electron device electron source comprising a polycrystalline diamond film having a surface including a plurality of crystallographic planes some of which exhibit an inherent negative affinity to retain electrons disposed at/near the surface of the material.
An electron device comprising:
- a polycrystalline diamond film having a surface including a plurality of crystallographic planes some of which exhibit a very low affinity to retain electrons disposed at/near the surface;
- an anode distally disposed with respect to the surface and constructed to have a voltage source coupled between the anode and the polycrystalline diamond film, such that providing a voltage of appropriate polarity between the anode and polycrystalline diamond film results in electron emission from crystallographic planes of the plurality of crystallographic planes exhibiting very low electron affinity which electron emission is substantially uniform and preferentially collected at the anode.
An electron device comprising:
- a polycrystalline diamond film having a surface including a plurality of crystallographic planes some of which planes exhibit an affinity less than zero electron volts to retain electrons disposed at/near the surface;
- an anode distally disposed with respect to the surface;
- and
- a voltage source connected between the anode and polycrystalline diamond film resulting in electron emission from crystallographic planes of the plurality of crystallographic planes exhibiting an electron affinity of less than 0.0 electron volts which electron emission is substantially uniform and preferentially collected at the anode.
An electron device comprising:
- a supporting substrate having a major surface;
- at least a plurality of electron sources each including a polycrystalline diamond film having a surface comprising a plurality of crystallographic planes some of which exhibit a very low electron affinity at/near the surface;
- an anode distally disposed with respect to the plurality of electron sources;
- a plurality of conductive paths disposed on the major surface of the supporting substrate and selectively operably coupled to the plurality of electron sources;
- a voltage source connected to the anode and a reference potential;
- and
- signal means operably applied to the plurality of electron sources and a reference potential, such that electrons are preferentially emitted from at least some electron sources of the plurality of electron sources and collected at areas of the anode substantially corresponding to the area of a selected electron source from which electrons have been emitted.
An electron device comprising:
- a supporting substrate having a major surface;
- at least a plurality of electron sources each including a polycrystalline diamond film having a surface comprising a plurality of crystallographic planes some of which exhibit an electron affinity of less than zero electron volts at/near the surface;
- an anode distally disposed with respect to the plurality of electron sources;
- a plurality of conductive paths disposed on the major surface of the supporting substrate and selectively operably coupled to the plurality of electron sources;
- a voltage source connected between the anode and a reference potential;
- and
- signal means operably applied to the plurality of electron sources and a reference potential, such that electrons are preferentially emitted from at least some electron sources of the plurality of electron sources and collected at areas of the anode substantially corresponding to the area of a selected electron source from which electrons have been emitted.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.