Low capacitance field emission device with circular microtip array

An electron emitter plate comprising:

• a substrate;
• a first layer of conductive material deposited on said substrate;
• a layer of insulating material deposited on said substrate over said first layer of conductive material;
• a second layer of conductive material deposited on said substrate over said layer of insulating material;
• said second layer of conductive material having a plurality of apertures arranged in a loop and an absence of second layer conductive material within a majority of an interior of said loop;
• and
• a conductive microtip formed in each aperture in electrical communication with said first layer of conductive material.

An electron emitter plate comprising:

• a substrate;
• a first layer of conductive material deposited on said substrate;
• said first layer of conductive material being patterned in a mesh structure defining a hexagonal mesh spacing;
• a layer of insulating material deposited on said substrate over said first layer of conductive material;
• a second layer of conductive material deposited on said substrate over said layer of insulating material;
• said second layer of conductive material being patterned to form a hexagonal pad located concentrically within said mesh spacing, at least one bridging strip connecting said pad to other parts of said second layer of conductive material, and a plurality of apertures formed in an array on said pad;
• a layer of resistive material deposited on said substrate;
• and
• a conductive microtip formed in each aperture and laterally spaced by said resistive material from said mesh structure.

An electron emitter plate comprising:

• a substrate;
• a first layer of conductive material deposited on said substrate;
• said first layer of conductive material being patterned in a mesh structure defining a plurality of mesh spacings;
• a layer of insulating material deposited on said substrate over said first layer of conductive material;
• a second layer of conductive material deposited on said substrate over said layer of insulating material;
• said second layer of conductive material being patterned to form a pad located centrally within each said mesh spacing, at least one bridging strip connecting each pad to two other pads, and a plurality of apertures formed on each pad;
• a layer of resistive material deposited on said substrate;
• and
• a conductive microtip formed in each aperture and laterally spaced by said resistive material from said mesh structure.

An electron emitter plate comprising:

• a substrate:
• a first layer of conductive material deposited on said substrate;
• said first layer of conductive material being patterned in a mesh structure defining a plurality of mesh spacings;
• said mesh spacings being arranged in hexagonal close-packed relationships wherein lines joining centers of said mesh spacings form equilateral triangles having centers;
• and said first layer of conductive material being patterned so that first layer conductive material is absent from said equilateral triangle centers;
• a layer of insulating material deposited on said substrate over said first layer of conductive material;
• a second layer of conductive material deposited on said substrate over said layer of insulating material;
• said second layer of conductive material being patterned to form a pad located centrally within each said mesh spacing, at least one bridging strip connecting each pad at least one other pad, and a plurality of apertures formed on each pad;
• a layer of resistive material deposited on said substrate;
• and
• a conductive microtip formed in each aperture and laterally spaced by said resistive material from said mesh structure.