A triple-point cathode coating and method wherein electrically conductive NEA diamond particles cast or mixed with the adhesive medium and electrically insulative NEA diamond particles are cast or mixed with the adhesive medium to form a plurality of exposed junctions between electrically conductive diamond particles and electrically insulative diamond particles to reduce any electrical charges on a structure coated with the coating.

A compound field emitter (CFE) includes a first surface possessing a field enhancement factor >1, and a second surface possessing one or both of a field enhancement factor >1, or a low work function, wherein the second surface is coated, formed or applied upon the first surface. The second surface has a characteristic size at least 3 times smaller than the first surface, and the outer surface includes a coating of calcium aluminate 12CaO-7Al2O3.

A compound field emitter (CFE) includes a first surface possessing a field enhancement factor >1, and a second surface possessing one or both of a field enhancement factor >1, or a low work function, wherein the second surface is coated, formed or applied upon the first surface. The second surface has a characteristic size at least 3 times smaller than the first surface, and the outer surface includes a coating of calcium aluminate 12CaO-7Al2O3.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an emitter capable of easily and highly efficiently emitting electrons, an electron gun using same, and an electronic device.

This emitter is provided with a cathode holder, and an acicular substance secured to the cathode holder. An end, to which the acicular substance is secured, of the cathode holder is bent at α(α(°) satisfies 5<α≤70) that is an angle formed with respect to a cathode axis being the longitudinal direction of the cathode holder, the acicular substance is a single crystal nanowire or nanotube, and a relation L/T between the thickness T ( μm) of the end of the cathode holder and a length L ( μm) by which the acicular substance protrudes from the end satisfies 0.3≤L/T≤2.5.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an emitter capable of easily and highly efficiently emitting electrons, an electron gun using same, and an electronic device. This emitter is provided with a cathode holder, and an acicular substance secured to the cathode holder. An end, to which the acicular substance is secured, of the cathode holder is bent at α (α(°) satisfies 5<α≤70) that is an angle formed with respect to a cathode axis being the longitudinal direction of the cathode holder, the acicular substance is a single crystal nanowire or nanotube, and a relation L/T between the thickness T (μm) of the end of the cathode holder and a length L (μm) by which the acicular substance protrudes from the end satisfies 0.3≤L/T≤2.5.

An emitter to deliver an electron flow towards particulate matter includes a base, a conductive track fixed to the base, and a plurality of conductive pins fixed to the base and extending therefrom in a predetermined direction and electrically coupled to the track so as to receive a negative electric charge therefrom. The emitter also includes a plurality of tubes, fixed to the base, and extending therefrom in said direction, with each of the tubes having an interior extending away from the base to an open end, and with each tube having at least one of the pins located in the interior thereof.

A device for controlling electron flow is provided. The device comprises a cathode, an elongate electrical conductor embedded in a diamond substrate, an anode, and a control electrode provided on the substrate surface for modifying the electric field in the region of the end of the conductor. A method of manufacturing the device is also provided.

An electron source has an insulating base, a pair of conductive terminals, an insulating support member, a drift isolation member, an emitter-cathode, and one or more heating elements. The conductive terminals are exposed from a first surface of the insulating base. The insulating support member extends from the first surface of the insulating base. The drift isolation member is disposed at an end of the insulating support member remote from the insulating base. The emitter-cathode is coupled to the drift isolation member. The one or more heating elements are coupled to the conductive terminals and the drift isolation member. The combination of the drift isolation member with the insulating support member can prevent stress-induced drift from impacting position of the emitter-cathode, thereby improving the mechanical stability of the electron source.

Methods of producing microrods for electron emitters and associated microrods and electron emitters. In one example, a method of producing a microrod for an electron emitter comprises providing a bulk crystal ingot, removing a first plate from the bulk crystal ingot, reducing a thickness of the first plate to produce a second plate, and milling the second plate to produce one or more microrods. In another example, a microrod for an electron emitter comprises a microrod tip region that comprises a nanoneedle that in turn comprises a nanorod and a nanoprotrusion tip. The microrod and the nanoneedle are integrally formed from a bulk crystal ingot by sequentially: (i) removing the microrod from the bulk crystal ingot; (ii) coarse processing the microrod tip region to produce the nanorod; and (iii) fine processing the nanorod to produce the nanoprotrusion tip.

A light modulated electron source utilizes a photon-beam source to modulate the emission current of an electron beam emitted from a silicon-based field emitter. The field emitter's cathode includes a protrusion fabricated on a silicon substrate and having an emission tip covered by a coating layer. An extractor generates an electric field that attracts free electrons toward the emission tip for emission as part of the electron beam. The photon-beam source generates a photon beam including photons having an energy greater than the bandgap of silicon, and includes optics that direct the photon beam onto the emission tip, whereby each absorbed photon creates a photo-electron that combines with the free electrons to enhance the electron beam's emission current. A controller modulates the emission current by controlling the intensity of the photon beam applied to the emission tip. A monitor measures the electron beam and provides feedback to the controller.