Charge dissipation field emission device

A charge dissipation field emission device comprising:

• a supporting substrate having a major surface;
• a cathode disposed on the major surface of the supporting substrate and having a charge-collecting surface;
• a dielectric layer disposed on the cathode, the dielectric layer defining an emitter well, the dielectric layer and the charge-collecting surface of the cathode defining a charge dissipation well;
• an electron emitter disposed in the emitter well;
• a gate extraction electrode electrically isolated from and proximate to the cathode and the electron emitter for effecting electron emission therefrom;
• and
• an anode spaced from the gate extraction electrode to define an interspace region therebetween, the charge dissipation well being in communication with the interspace region.

A charge dissipation field emission device comprising:

• a supporting substrate having a major surface;
• a cathode being disposed on the major surface of the supporting substrate and having a charge-collecting surface;
• a dielectric layer having a major surface and being disposed on the cathode, the dielectric layer defining an emitter well, the dielectric layer and the charge-collecting surface of the cathode defining a charge dissipation well;
• an electron emitter disposed in the emitter well;
• a gate extraction electrode disposed on the major surface of the dielectric layer and proximate to the emitter well;
• and
• an anode spaced from the gate extraction electrode to define an interspace region therebetween, the charge dissipation well being in communication with the interspace region.

A charge dissipation field emission device comprising:

• a supporting substrate having a major surface;
• a cathode disposed on the major surface of the supporting substrate;
• a charge dissipation layer disposed on the major surface of the supporting substrate adjacent the cathode and having a charge-collecting surface;
• a dielectric layer disposed on the cathode and the charge dissipation layer, the dielectric layer defining an emitter well, the charge-collecting surface of the charge dissipation layer and the dielectric layer defining a charge dissipation well;
• an electron emitter disposed in the emitter well;
• and
• an anode spaced from the dielectric layer to define an interspace region therebetween, the charge dissipation well being in communication with the interspace region.

A method for reducing charging within a field emission device comprising the steps of:

• providing a supporting substrate having a major surface;
• forming on the major surface of the supporting substrate a cathode having a charge-collecting surface;
• forming a dielectric layer on the cathode;
• forming in the dielectric layer an emitter well;
• forming in the dielectric layer a charge dissipation well in registration with the charge-collecting surface of the cathode;
• providing an electron emitter in the emitter well;
• and
• providing an anode spaced from the dielectric layer to define an interspace region therebetween so that the charge dissipation well is in communication with the interspace region.