Field Emission Lamp Non-Evaporable Getter Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional field emission lamps face challenges in maintaining a high degree of vacuum, leading to fluctuating performance and potential shorting of the cathode and anode during the high-temperature evaporating process for evaporable getters, and poor vacuum near the cathode for non-evaporable getters.
Innovation Solution
A field emission lamp design incorporating a transparent glass tube with an anode and cathode electrodes, an electron emission layer made of carbon nanotubes, metallic conductive particles, and non-evaporable getter powders dispersed in a glass matrix, which are assembled and sealed to ensure a high vacuum environment, with the getter powders exhausting gases produced by the fluorescent layer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If evaporable getter is used to maintain vacuum, then vacuum exhaustion capability is improved, but device complexity and risk of shorting increase due to high-temperature evaporating process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state and chemical composition of the getter material from evaporable to non-evaporable form. The non-evaporable getter powder (e.g., titanium, zirconium, or their alloys) is dispersed in the glass matrix at room temperature, eliminating the need for high-temperature evaporation processes while maintaining vacuum exhaustion capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite electron emission layer by dispersing non-evaporable getter powders within a glass matrix along with carbon nanotubes and metallic conductive particles. This composite structure integrates the vacuum maintenance function directly into the electron emission component, eliminating separate getter mechanisms and reducing overall device complexity.
2Reliability
If evaporable getter is used, then vacuum exhaustion capability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases due to additional plane and high-temperature process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the high-temperature evaporation process and the separate getter plane from the manufacturing system. By using non-evaporable getter powders that can be dispersed at room temperature, the invention eliminates complex evaporation equipment and additional manufacturing steps, significantly reducing fabrication cost while maintaining vacuum exhaustion capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses inexpensive non-evaporable getter powders (such as titanium or zirconium powders) that can be simply dispersed in the glass matrix without requiring expensive evaporation equipment. This approach replaces costly evaporable getter systems with a cheaper, simpler alternative that achieves the same vacuum maintenance function.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution maintains a consistent high degree of vacuum, enhancing field emission performance and reducing the risk of cathode and anode shorting, while ensuring environmental safety by eliminating mercury vapor.
Implementation Method 1
a non-evaporable getter, which is focused in a position near to the cathode, so that the degree of vacuum near to the cathode is as high as that near to the getter
Implementation Method 2
A strong electrical field is provided to excite the nanotubes. A certain number of electrons is then accelerated and emitted from the nanotubes
Implementation Method 3
such electrodes collide with the fluorescent layer of the anode, thereby producing visible light
Data Source
AI summary
A field emission lamp generally includes a tube having at least one open end, at least one sealing member respectively arranged in a corresponding open end of the tube, an anode, and a cathode. The anode includes an anode conductive layer formed on an inner surface of the tube, a fluorescent layer formed on the anode conductive layer, and at least one anode electrode electrically connected with the anode conductive layer and extending out of the at least one sealing member. The cathode includes an electron emission element and at least one cathode electrode electrically connected with the electron emission element and extending out of the at least one sealing member. The electron emission element has an electron emission layer. The electron emission layer includes getter powders therein to exhaust unwanted gas in the field emission lamp, thereby ensuring the field emission lamp with a high degree of vacuum during operation thereof. A method for making such field emission lamp is also provided.