Electron emission materials and components
AssigneeIntegrated Thermal Sciences, Inc.
InventorGarth W. Billings
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Electron emission materials consisting of carbides, borides, and oxides, and related mixtures and compounds, of Group IVB metals Hf, Zr, and Ti, Group IIA metals Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba, and Group IIIB metals Sc, Y, and lanthanides La through Lu are used in electrodes. The electron emission materials include ternary Group IVB-IIIB and IVB-IIA oxides. These electron emission materials are typically contained in a refractory metal matrix formed of tungsten, tantalum, rhenium, and their alloys, but may also be used by themselves. These materials and electrodes have high melting points, low vapor pressures, low work functions, high electrical and thermal conductivity, and high thermionic electron emission and field emission properties.
Claims14
A composite electron emission material, comprising:
- a refractory metal matrix selected from the group consisting of tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, rhenium, and mixtures and alloys thereof;
- an electron emission material contained in the refractory metal matrix, the electron emission material being selected from the group consisting of ternary oxides of a Group IVB element selected from Hf, Zr, and Ti, and a Group IIIB element selected from Sc, Y, and the lanthanides La through Lu, or of a Group IVB element selected from Hf, Zr, and Ti, and a Group IIA element selected from Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba.
An article of manufacture comprising an electrode formed of a composite electron emission material, the composite material comprising:
- a refractory metal matrix selected from the group consisting of tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, rhenium, and mixtures and alloys thereof;
- an electron emission material contained in the refractory metal matrix, the electron emission material being selected from the group consisting of ternary oxides of a Group IVB element selected from Hf, Zr, and Ti, and a Group IIIB element selected from Sc, Y, and the lanthanides La through Lu, or of a Group IVB element selected from Hf, Zr, and Ti, and a Group IIA element selected from Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba.
An article of manufacture comprising an electrode formed of an electron emission material, the electron emission material comprising:
- a material selected from the group consisting of ternary oxides of a Group IVB element selected from Hf, Zr, and Ti, and a Group IIIB element selected from Sc, Y, and the lanthanides La through Lu, or of a Group IVB element selected from Hf, Zr, and Ti, and a Group IIA element selected from Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.