Electron emission device, and driving method thereof

A method of driving an electron emission apparatus which includes a plurality of electron emission devices each having an electron supply layer formed of silicon, a silicon-based mixture or a compound thereof, an insulator layer formed on the electron supply layer and a thin film metal electrode formed on the insulator layer, the plurality of electron emission devices being sealed, the method comprising:

• a driving step for supplying power between the electron supply layer and the thin film metal electrode to cause electrons to be emitted from the electron emission device,
• a reactivating step for applying a reactivating voltage at a level equal to or higher than an applied voltage value which causes discontinuity in differential value of the device current flowing between the electron supply layer and the thin film metal electrode with respect to the applied voltage after the driving step, and
• an emission current measuring step for measuring an emission current generated by electrons emitted from the thin film metal electrode of the electron emission device, wherein the reactivating step is executed at a timing when the measured emission current value is lowered to a value equal to or lower than a reference current value.