Field emission cathode
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- US · United States
- Current Assignee / Owner
- KEESMANN TILL
- Publication Date
- 2004-08-03
- Estimated Expiration
- Not applicable · inactive patent
Smart Images
Figure 1 
Figure 2 
Figure 3
Abstract
Description
The invention relates to a field emission cathode device of an electrically conducting material and with a narrow, rod-shaped geometry or a knife edge to achieve high amplification of the electric field strength, such that the electron-emitting part of the field emission cathode has cylindrical molecules. The invention also relates to a method for producing such a field emission cathode device.Field emission means the emission of electrons from the surface of an electric conductor under the action of an electric field exceeding 10.sub.9 V / m. In practice, such field strengths are realized at sharp edges or tips, where the field strength is amplified. High vacuum is necessary to avoid gas discharges.DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ARTField emission cathodes are used, for example, in field electron microscopes, in electron accelerators, in high-power switches (OS DE 39 24 745 A1) and in field emission diodes and field emitter arrays for vacuum microelectronics (thus for example Busta, Vacuum ...