A composite including: at least one selected from a silicon oxide of the formula SiO.sub.2 and a silicon oxide of the formula SiO.sub.x wherein 0<x<2; and graphene, wherein the silicon oxide is disposed in a graphene matrix.

The present invention relates to the field of field emission lighting, and specifically to a method for forming a field emission cathode. The method comprises arranging a growth substrate in a growth solution comprising a Zn-based growth agent, the growth solution having a pre-defined pH-value at room temperature; increasing the pH value of the growth solution to reach a nucleation phase; upon increasing the pH of the solution nucleation starts. The growth phase is then entered by decreasing the pH. The length of the nanorods is determined by the growth time. The process is terminated by increasing the pH to form sharp tips. The invention also relates to a structure for such a field emission cathode and to a lighting arrangement comprising the field emission cathode.

There is provided an iridium tip including a pyramid structure having one {100} crystal plane as one of a plurality of pyramid surfaces in a sharpened apex portion of a single crystal with <210> orientation. The iridium tip is applied to a gas field ion source or an electron source. The gas field ion source and/or the electron source is applied to a focused ion beam apparatus, an electron microscope, an electron beam applied analysis apparatus, an ion-electron multi-beam apparatus, a scanning probe microscope or a mask repair apparatus.

There is provided an iridium tip including a pyramid structure having one {100} crystal plane as one of a plurality of pyramid surfaces in a sharpened apex portion of a single crystal with <210> orientation. The iridium tip is applied to a gas field ion source or an electron source. The gas field ion source and/or the electron source is applied to a focused ion beam apparatus, an electron microscope, an electron beam applied analysis apparatus, an ion-electron multi-beam apparatus, a scanning probe microscope or a mask repair apparatus.

Nano granular materials (NGM) are provided that have the extraordinary capability to conduct current in a 100 fold current density compared to high Tc superconductors by charges moving in form of Bosons produced by Bose-Einstein-Condensation (BEC) in overlapping excitonic surface orbital states at room temperature and has a light dependent conductivity. The material is disposed between electrically conductive connections and is a nano-crystalline composite material. Also provided are electrical components comprising NGM and methods and arrangements for making it by corpuscular-beam induced deposition applied to a substrate, using inorganic compounds being adsorbed on the surface of the substrate owing to their vapor pressure, and which render a crystalline conducting phase embedded in an inorganic insolating matrix enclosing the material.

There is provided an iridium tip including a pyramid structure having one {100} crystal plane as one of a plurality of pyramid surfaces in a sharpened apex portion of a single crystal with <210> orientation. The iridium tip is applied to a gas field ion source or an electron source. The gas field ion source and/or the electron source is applied to a focused ion beam apparatus, an electron microscope, an electron beam applied analysis apparatus, an ion-electron multi-beam apparatus, a scanning probe microscope or a mask repair apparatus.

Example embodiments presented herein are directed towards an x-ray generating device. The device comprises at least one electron emitter(s) (22, 22_1, 22_2, 22_3) which has an electrically conductive substrate (23). The electrically conductive substrate comprises a coating of nanostructures (24). The device further comprises a heating element (21) attachable to each electrically conductive substrate. The device further comprises an electron receiving component (14) configured to receiving electrons emitted from the at least one electron emitter(s). The device also comprises an evacuated enclosure (10) configured to house the at least one electron emitter(s), the heating element and the electron receiving component. The at least one electron emitter(s) is configured for Schottky emission when the heating element is in an on-state and the at least one electron emitter(s) is negatively biased.

The present invention provides an emitter capable of emitting electrons highly efficiently and stably for a long period of time, an electron gun and electronic apparatus using the emitter, and a method for manufacturing the emitter. An emitter equipped with a nanoneedle formed of a rare earth oxide represented by the general formula REO.sub.x (wherein RE is a rare earth element and 1x<1.5) is manufactured by carrying out a process of oxidizing the surface of a metal containing a rare earth element to form a film composed of a rare earth oxide represented by the general formula REO.sub.x (wherein RE is a rare earth element and 1x<1.5) and a process of working the film composed of the rare earth oxide into a needle shape using a focused ion beam.