Optically controlled cold-cathode electron tube
AssigneeThales
InventorsPierre Legagneux, Ludovic Hudanski, Jean-Philippe Schnell, Dominique Dieumegard, Pierrick Guiset, Alfredo De Rossi
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Abstract
In an optically controlled cold-cathode electron tube, the emitters 1, of nanometer and/or micron size and of elongate shape, have a structure comprising a first material (4) of sp2-bonding carbon type and a metallic second material (3), said first material being in contact with and surrounding said second material at its top and over the entire length of the emitter or at least part of said length starting from its top toward the base (b). The second material has a plasma frequency substantially equal to or greater than the frequency of the optical control wave.
Claims15
An optically controlled cold-cathode electron tube, said tube comprising a cold cathode which includes:
- a conductive substrate;
- an emitter or a plurality of emitters, formed on said conductive substrate, of nanometer and/or micron size and of elongated shape in a direction perpendicular to said conductive substrate, and
- a source generating an optical wave for direct optical control of the emitter or the plurality of emitters via an electrical field of said optical wave,
- wherein each said emitter comprises a first material of the carbon type with substantially sp2 bonding, encapsulating, in direct or indirect contact, a second metallic material, said second metallic material at least located at a top of the emitter, and
- wherein said second material has a plasma frequency approximately equal to or greater than a frequency of the optical control wave.
An optically controlled microwave or terahertz electronic amplifying device comprises the electron tube which includes a cold cathode,
- wherein said cold cathode includes:
- a conductive substrate;
- an emitter or a plurality of emitters, formed on said conductive substrate, of nanometer and/or micron size and of elongated shape in a direction perpendicular to said conductive substrate, and
- a source generating an optical wave for direct optical control of the emitter or the plurality of emitters via an electrical field of said optical wave,
- wherein each said emitter comprises a first material of the carbon type with substantially sp2 bonding, encapsulating, in direct or indirect contact, a second metallic material, said second metallic material at least located at a top of the emitter, and
- wherein said second material has a plasma frequency approximately equal to or greater than a frequency of the optical control wave.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.