# US 5,352,477 A · Method for manufacturing a cathode for a gas discharge tube

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- Number: US 5,352,477 A
- Document ID: US5352477A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/092,182
- Filed: 1993-07-14
- Granted: 1994-10-04
- Earliest claimed: 1990-10-15
- Assignees: Matsushita Electronics Corporation
- Inventors: Hiroshi Sakurai
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5352477A

## CPC

- H01J 17/066: {Cold cathodes}
- B82Y 10/00: Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
- H01J 1/312: having an electric field perpendicular to the surface, e.g. tunnel-effect cathodes of metal-insulator-metal [MIM] type {(H01J1/304- H01J1/308 take precedence)}
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES

## Abstract

A gas discharge tube using a tunnel effect type electron emitting device as a cathode is provided. The electron emitting device comprises a conductive metal base and a dielectric film formed preferably of a material containing MgO as a main component on the metal base. The dielectric film faces an anode and is exposed to a gas in the tube. In the cathode of this structure, discharge is effected at a relatively low DC voltage.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for manufacturing a cathode for a gas discharge tube comprising the steps of:
forming a film made of a material containing Mg as a main component on the surface of a conductive metal base,
diffusing part of a component of the metal base to part of the film to form an intermediate layer containing Mg,
oxidizing the remaining part of the film to form a dielectric film made of a material containing MgO as a main component.