Embodiments of the present invention describe electrical potential energy to electrical kinetic energy converters, ozone generators, and light emitters. A system for energy conversion from electrical potential energy to electrical kinetic energy may include a discharge device and a power supply. The power supply can be coupled with the discharge device, and supplies energy to the discharge device to form an initial electric field. The discharge device may further include at least two electrodes that are either mesh electrodes or wire-array electrodes. Furthermore, a space between the at least two electrodes is filled with a gas medium and an electric field is created by the power supply in a normal direction relative to planes formed by the elements of electrodes.

A thermionic emission device comprises a first electrode, a second electrode, a single carbon nanotube, an insulating layer and a gate electrode. The gate electrode is located on a first surface of the insulating layer. The first electrode and the second electrode are located on a second surface of the insulating layer and spaced apart from each other. The carbon nanotube comprises a first end, a second end opposite to the first end, and a middle portion located between the first end and the second end. The first end of the carbon nanotube is electrically connected to the first electrode, and the second end of the carbon nanotube is electrically connected to the second electrode.

A thermionic emission device comprises a first electrode, a second electrode, a single carbon nanotube, an insulating layer and a gate electrode. The gate electrode is located on a first surface of the insulating layer. The first electrode and the second electrode are located on a second surface of the insulating layer and spaced apart from each other. The carbon nanotube comprises a first end, a second end opposite to the first end, and a middle portion located between the first end and the second end. The first end of the carbon nanotube is electrically connected to the first electrode, and the second end of the carbon nanotube is electrically connected to the second electrode.

A tungsten electrode material contains a tungsten-based material and oxide particles dispersed in the tungsten-based material. The oxide particles are composed of an oxide solid solution in which a Zr oxide and/or an Hf oxide and an oxide of at least one rare earth selected from the group consisting of Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu are dissolved as a solid solution. A content of the rare-earth oxide with respect to a total amount of the Zr oxide and/or the Hf oxide and the rare-earth oxide is not lower than 66 mol % and not higher than 97 mol %, a content of the oxide solid solution is not lower than 0.5 mass % and not higher than 9 mass %, and the remainder is composed substantially of tungsten.

An electron emission element (20) includes a first electrode (30a) and a second electrode (40) which are arranged facing each other, an intermediate layer (50) that is provided between the first electrode (30a) and the second electrode (40), and an insulating layer (60) that is formed with a thickness d1 on a substrate (30). A level difference between the insulating layer (60) and the first electrode (30a) is smaller than the thickness d1 of the insulating layer (60).

An electron emission element (20) includes a first electrode (30a) and a second electrode (40) which are arranged facing each other, an intermediate layer (50) that is provided between the first electrode (30a) and the second electrode (40), and an insulating layer (60) that is formed with a thickness d1 on a substrate (30). A level difference between the insulating layer (60) and the first electrode (30a) is smaller than the thickness d1 of the insulating layer (60).

A tungsten electrode material contains a tungsten-based material and oxide particles dispersed in the tungsten-based material. The oxide particles are composed of an oxide solid solution in which a Zr oxide and/or an Hf oxide and an oxide of at least one rare earth selected from the group consisting of Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu are dissolved as a solid solution. A content of the rare-earth oxide with respect to a total amount of the Zr oxide and/or the Hf oxide and the rare-earth oxide is not lower than 66 mol % and not higher than 97 mol %, a content of the oxide solid solution is not lower than 0.5 mass % and not higher than 9 mass %, and the remainder is composed substantially of tungsten.

A thermionic dispenser cathode having a refractory metal matrix with scandium and barium compounds in contact with the metal matrix and methods for forming the same. The invention utilizes atomic layer deposition (ALD) to form a nanoscale, uniform, conformal distribution of a scandium compound on tungsten surfaces and further utilizes in situ high pressure consolidation/impregnation to enhance impregnation of a BaOCaOAl.sub.2O.sub.3 based emissive mixture into the scandate-coated tungsten matrix or to sinter a tungsten/scandate/barium composite structure. The result is a tungsten-scandate thermionic cathode having improved emission.

A thermionic dispenser cathode having a refractory metal matrix with scandium and barium compounds in contact with the metal matrix and methods for forming the same. The invention utilizes atomic layer deposition (ALD) to form a nanoscale, uniform, conformal distribution of a scandium compound on tungsten surfaces and further utilizes in situ high pressure consolidation/impregnation to enhance impregnation of a BaOCaOAl.sub.2O.sub.3 based emissive mixture into the scandate-coated tungsten matrix or to sinter a tungsten/scandate/barium composite structure. The result is a tungsten-scandate thermionic cathode having improved emission.

Embodiments of the present invention describe electrical potential energy to electrical kinetic energy converters, ozone generators, and light emitters. A system for energy conversion from electrical potential energy to electrical kinetic energy may include a discharge device and a power supply. The power supply can be coupled with the discharge device, and supplies energy to the discharge device to form an initial electric field. The discharge device may further include at least two electrodes that are either mesh electrodes or wire-array electrodes. Furthermore, a space between the at least two electrodes is filled with a gas medium and an electric field is created by the power supply in a normal direction relative to planes formed by the elements of electrodes.