Field emission-type electron source and manufacturing method thereof

A field emission-type electron source comprising:

• a first electrode;
• a surface electrode composed of an electrically conductive thin film, said surface electrode acting as a second electrode;
• and
• a strong electric field drift layer disposed between said first electrode and said surface electrode, in which electrons pass through from said first electrode to said surface electrode due to an electrical field which is generated when a voltage is applied between said first electrode and said surface electrode in such a manner that said surface electrode has a higher electrical potential in comparison with said first electrode, wherein
• said electrically conductive thin film includes a first material having at least one of high adhesion for said strong electric field drift layer and high sublimation enthalpy, and a second material whose density of states in the energy region near energy of the emitted electrons is lower than that of said first material, the density of states of said thin film in the energy region near energy of the emitted electrons being lower than that of said first material.

A method of manufacturing a field emission-type electron source having:

• an electrically conductive substrate;
• a strong electric field drift layer formed on a surface of said electrically conductive substrate;
• and
• an electrically conductive thin film formed on said strong electric field drift layer, in which
• electrons injected into said strong electric field drift layer from said electrically conductive substrate, drift in said strong electric field drift layer to be emitted outward through said electrically conductive thin film by applying a voltage between said electrically conductive thin film and said electrically conductive substrate in such a manner that said electrically conductive thin film acts as a positive electrode against said electrically conductive substrate, wherein
• said electrically conductive thin film includes a metal layer having at least a first metal which has high adhesion for said strong electric field drift layer and/or high sublimation enthalpy, and a second metal whose density of states in an energy region near energy of the emitted electrons is low, said method comprising the steps of:
• attaching at least said first and second metals to said strong electric field drift layer;
• and
• performing a stabilizing treatment for alloying or chemically combining said first and second metals together to form said metal layer.

A method of manufacturing a field emission-type electron source comprising:

• an electrically conductive substrate;
• a strong electric field drift layer formed on a surface of said electrically conductive substrate;
• and
• an electrically conductive thin film formed on said strong electric field drift layer, in which
• electrons injected into said strong electric field drift layer from said electrically conductive substrate, drift in said strong electric field drift layer to be emitted outward through said electrically conductive thin film by applying a voltage between said electrically conductive thin film and said electrically conductive substrate in such a manner that said electrically conductive thin film acts as a positive electrode against said electrically conductive substrate, wherein
• said electrically conductive thin film includes a metal layer in which at least a first metal, which has high adhesion for said strong electric field drift layer and/or high sublimation enthalpy, and a second metal, whose density of states in an energy region near energy of the emitted electrons is low, are mixed together in an atomic level to form an alloy or chemically combined together to form a compound while the electrons in d-orbits of said metals produce a hybrid orbit, said method comprising:
• attaching vapor or fine particles made from a source or target in which said first and second metals have been alloyed or chemically combined, to said strong electric field drift layer to thereby form said metal layer.

A method of manufacturing a field emission-type electron source comprising:

• an electrically conductive substrate;
• a strong electric field drift layer formed on a surface of said electrically conductive substrate;
• and
• an electrically conductive thin film formed on said strong electric field drift layer, in which
• electrons injected into said strong electric field drift layer from said electrically conductive substrate, drift in said strong electric field drift layer to be emitted outward through said electrically conductive thin film by applying a voltage between said electrically conductive thin film and said electrically conductive substrate in such a manner that said electrically conductive thin film acts as a positive electrode against said electrically conductive substrate, wherein
• said electrically conductive thin film includes a metal layer in which at least a first metal, which has high adhesion for said strong electric field drift layer and/or high sublimation enthalpy, and a second metal, whose density of states in an energy region near energy of the emitted electrons is low, are mixed together in an atomic level to form an alloy, or chemically combined together to form a compound while the electrons in d-orbits of said metals produce a hybrid orbit, said method comprising:
• attaching at least said first and second metals, which are formed in such small sizes that said first and second metals can be naturally alloyed or chemically combined together, to said strong electric field drift layer to form said metal layer.