Field emission assisted microdischarge devices
AssigneeThe Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
InventorsSung-Jin Park, J. Gary Eden, Kyung-Ho Park
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Abstract
Field emission nanostructures assist operation of a microdischarge device. The field emission nanostructures are integrated into the microdischarge device(s) or are situated near an electrode of the microdischarge device(s). The field emission nanostructures reduce operating and ignition voltages compared to otherwise identical devices lacking the field emission nanostructures, while also increasing the radiative output of the microdischarge device(s).
Claims26
A microdischarge device, comprising:
- a microdischarge cavity containing discharge medium;
- a cathode contacting the discharge medium;
- an anode electrically isolated from said cathode and disposed relative to the said cathode and the discharge medium such that said anode and said cathode stimulate emissions from the discharge medium when excitation is applied to said anode and cathode;
- field emission nanostructures disposed on or proximate to said cathode.
A microdischarge device, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a microdischarge cavity in said substrate;
- discharge medium contained in said microdischarge cavity;
- electrodes for stimulating emission from the discharge medium;
- field emission nanostructures to assist the emission from the discharge medium.
A method for reducing the operating voltage of a microdischarge device, the method comprising:
- providing a microdischarge device;
- providing field emission nanostructures in or proximate to a microdischarge cavity in the microdischarge device;
- containing discharge medium in the microdischarge cavity at a pressure;
- and
- operating the microdischarge device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.