Diamond cold cathode using patterned metal for electron emission control
AssigneeMotorola, Inc.
InventorCurtis D. Moyer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A flat, cold-cathode electron emitter including a substrate having a relatively flat surface with a low work function electron emission material layer for emitting electrons supported on the surface of the substrate. A contact conductive layer is disposed on the electron emission material layer and defines an aperture therethrough. An insulating layer is disposed on the contact conductive layer and has an aperture defined therethrough coextensive and in peripheral alignment with the aperture in the contact conductive layer and a conductive gate layer is disposed on the insulating layer. The contact conductive layer forms the field potential so that emission occurs substantially in the center of the aperture.
Claims22
A flat, cold-cathode electron emitter comprising;
- a substrate having a relatively flat surface;
- a low work function electron emission material layer for emitting electrons supported on the surface of the substrate;
- a contact conductive layer disposed on the low work function electron emission material layer and having an aperture defined therethrough;
- an insulating layer disposed on the contact conductive layer and having an aperture defined therethrough substantially in peripheral alignment with the aperture in the contact conductive layer;
- and
- a conductive gate layer disposed on the insulating layer.
A field emission device with a flat electron emitter comprising;
- an electron emitter positioned in spaced relation to an optically transparent faceplate assembly and including
- an electron emission material layer for emitting electrons,
- a conductive contact layer disposed on the electron emission material layer and defining an aperture therethrough,
- an insulating layer disposed in overlying relationship to the conductive contact layer and having an aperture defined therethrough substantially coextensive and in peripheral alignment with the aperture in the contact conductive layer, and
- a conductive gate layer disposed on the insulating layer and having an aperture defined therethrough substantially coextensive and in peripheral alignment with the aperture in the conductive contact layer and the insulating layer;
- and
- an optically transparent faceplate assembly having a major surface and including a transparent faceplate and cathodoluminescent material carried thereby, the major surface of the optically transparent faceplate overlying the aperture defined through the conductive contact layer, the insulating layer and the conductive gate layer opposite the electron emission material layer.
A field emission device with a flat electron emitter comprising;
- an optically transparent faceplate assembly having a major surface and including a transparent faceplate, cathodoluminescent material and a conductive anode;
- an interspace insulating layer disposed on the major surface of the faceplate assembly and having an aperture defined therethrough which aperture further defines an interspace region;
- an electron emitter including
- an electron emission material layer for emitting electrons,
- a conductive contact layer disposed on the electron emission material layer,
- an insulating layer disposed in generally overlying relationship to the conductive contact layer,
- a conductive gate layer disposed on the substrate insulating layer,
- the electron emitter having at least one aperture defined through the conductive contact layer, the insulating layer and the conductive gate layer and the electron emitter being disposed on the interspace insulating layer such that the conductive gate layer is interposed between the conductive anode and the electron emitter layer and further disposed such that the aperture defined through the electron emitter is substantially peripherally aligned with the aperture defined through the interspace insulating layer, such that upon evacuation of the aperture defined through the electron emitter substrate and the aperture defined through the interspace insulating layer, electrons emitted by the electron emission material layer, traverse the extent of the interspace region to excite photon emission from the cathodoluminescent material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.