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US 8,274,205 B2Granted
System and method for limiting arc effects in field emitter arrays
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsColin R. Wilson, Ji-Ung Lee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The system and method provided herein for limiting the effects of arcing in field-type electron emitter arrays improves the robustness of such arrays. Field-type electron emitter arrays generally have a substrate, an insulator, and a gating electrode. By including a resistive substance in the gate of the emitter array, arcing events may be isolated to a single emitter such that the remaining emitters of an array can continue electron emission and/or the short circuit current of the arc can be limited.
Claims14
A field emitter array comprising:
- a substrate layer;
- a gate layer having a plurality of openings formed therethrough;
- a dielectric layer between the substrate layer and the gate layer, the dielectric layer having a number of cavities therein extending to the substrate layer;
- a plurality of emitters, each emitter disposed on the substrate layer in a cavity of the dielectric layer and designed to emit electrons when an emission voltage is applied across the gate layer and the substrate layer;
- and
- wherein the gate layer comprises a resistive layer and a conductive layer, said resistive layer having an electrical resistance to interrupt an arc path between the conductive layer and the emitter, wherein the resistive layer extends to the substrate layer and is between the conductive layer and the dielectric layer and the resistive layer is also between the conductive layer and the emitter disposed in the cavity.
3 more elements
An electron stream generator comprising:
- an electron emitter positioned upon a substrate;
- and
- a controller configured to selectively apply a potential across a gate layer and a substrate;
- the gate layer positioned to create an electric field sufficient to cause electron emission from the emitter when the potential is applied thereto, and
- the gate layer comprising a resistive layer and a conductive layer, the resistive layer extending to said substrate and intervening between the conductive layer and the emitter.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.