Field emission cathode device and method of forming a field emission cathode device

Abstract

A field emission cathode device and method for forming a field emission cathode device involve a cathode element having a field emission surface disposed in spaced-apart relation to a gate electrode element so as to define a gap between the field emission surface and the gate electrode element. The gate electrode element extends laterally between opposing anchored ends. The gate electrode element is arranged to deform away from the field emission surface in response to heat, so as to increase the gap between the field emission surface and the gate electrode element.

Claims

1. A field emission cathode device, comprising: a cathode element having a field emission surface; and a gate electrode element disposed in spaced-apart relation to the field emission surface of the cathode element so as to define a gap therebetween, the gate electrode element laterally-extending between opposing anchored ends, the gate electrode element being arranged to deform away from the field emission surface in response to heat, so as to increase the gap between the field emission surface and the gate electrode element.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the gate electrode element defines opposed first and second laterally-extending surfaces, with the first laterally-extending surface being disposed to face the field emission surface of the cathode element, and wherein the first laterally-extending surface between the opposing ends is planar or concave.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the second laterally-extending surface is opposed to the first laterally-extending surface so as to face away from the field emission surface, and wherein the second laterally-extending surface between the opposing ends is convex or includes a series of convex protrusions.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the gate electrode element defines a thickness between the opposed first and second laterally-extending surfaces, the thickness being greater about a medial portion thereof than toward the opposed ends.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the gate electrode element is arranged to expand laterally in response to heat generated by bombardment of electrons emitted from the field emission surface in response to an electric field between the gate electrode element and the field emission surface of the cathode element.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the gate electrode element is arranged such that deformation thereof in response to the lateral expansion increases the gap between the gate electrode element and the field emission surface of the cathode element, and decreases the bombardment of electrons on the gate electrode element, the decreased electron bombardment reducing the generated heat, and causing the gate electrode element to laterally contract to reverse the deformation thereof.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein gate electrode element is comprised of a conductive material having a high melting temperature.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the gate electrode element is comprised of tungsten, molybdenum, stainless steel, doped silicon, or combinations thereof.

9. A method of forming a field emission cathode device, comprising: arranging a gate electrode element in spaced-apart relation to the field emission surface of the cathode element so as to define a gap therebetween; and anchoring opposing ends of the gate electrode element such that the gate electrode element extends laterally therebetween, and such that the gate electrode element is arranged to deform away from the field emission surface in response to heat, so as to increase the gap between the field emission surface and the gate electrode element.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the gate electrode element defines opposed first and second laterally-extending surfaces, with the first laterally-extending surface being disposed to face the field emission surface of the cathode element, and wherein the method comprises forming the gate electrode element such that the first laterally-extending surface between the opposing ends is planar or concave.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second laterally-extending surface is opposed to the first laterally-extending surface so as to face away from the field emission surface, and wherein the method comprises forming the gate electrode element such that the second laterally-extending surface between the opposing ends is convex or includes a series of convex protrusions.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the gate electrode element defines a thickness between the opposed first and second laterally-extending surfaces, and wherein the method comprises forming the gate electrode element such that the thickness is greater about a medial portion thereof than toward the opposed ends.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the gate electrode element is arranged to expand laterally in response to heat, and wherein anchoring the opposed ends comprises anchoring the opposed ends of the gate electrode element such that the gate electrode element is heated by bombardment of electrons emitted from the field emission surface in response to an electric field between the gate electrode element and the field emission surface of the cathode element.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein anchoring the opposed ends comprises anchoring the opposed ends of the gate electrode element such that deformation thereof in response to the lateral expansion increases the gap between the gate electrode element and the field emission surface of the cathode element, and decreases the bombardment of electrons on the gate electrode element, the decreased electron bombardment reducing the generated heat, and causing the gate electrode element to laterally contract to reverse the deformation thereof.

15. The method of claim 9, comprising forming the gate electrode element from a conductive material having a high melting temperature.

16. The method of claim 9, comprising forming the gate electrode element from tungsten, molybdenum, stainless steel, doped silicon, or combinations thereof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

(1) Having thus described the disclosure in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a prior art example of a field emission cathode device;

(3) FIG. 2A schematically illustrates a prior art example of a gate electrode for a field emission cathode device, with the gate electrode having multiple linear bars in a grill-like structure;

(4) FIG. 2B schematically illustrates a prior art example of a gate electrode for a field emission cathode device, with the gate electrode having a mesh-like structure;

(5) FIGS. 3A and 3B schematically illustrate a prior art example of a constant thickness (cross-section) gate electrode for a field emission cathode device, with the constant thickness gate electrode experiencing buckling toward, or sagging or saddling with respect to, the cathode of the field emission cathode device;

(6) FIGS. 4A and 4B schematically illustrates a gate electrode for a field emission cathode device, according to one aspect of the present disclosure;

(7) FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a gate electrode for a field emission cathode device, according to an alternate aspect of the present disclosure; and

(8) FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a gate electrode for a field emission cathode device, according to another alternate aspect of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

(9) The present disclosure now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all aspects of the disclosure are shown. Indeed, the disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the aspects set forth herein; rather, these aspects are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

(10) FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5, and 6 illustrate various aspects of a gate electrode 200 for a field emission cathode device 100 (see, e.g., FIG. 1). Such a field emission cathode device 100 generally includes a cathode 300 comprising a substrate 325 (see, e.g., FIG. 1, and usually comprised of a metal or other conducting material such as stainless steel, tungsten, molybdenum, doped silicon), a layer of a field emission material 350 (e.g., a mixture of nanomaterials such as nanotubes, graphene, nanowires, etc. such as shown, for example in FIG. 1) disposed on the substrate 325, and, if necessary, an additional layer of an adhesion material (not shown) disposed between the substrate 325 and the field emission material 350.

(11) A field emission cathode device/assembly 100 generally includes a field emission cathode 300 disposed in a spaced-apart relation to such a gate electrode 200 so as to define a gap 250 therebetween (see, e.g., FIG. 1). An external gate voltage (V g) is applied to the gate electrode 200, with the cathode 300 being connected to ground, such that the generated electric field extracts field emission electrons 400 from the field emission material 375 on the cathode surface (e.g., the substrate 325). Once the electrons 400 are emitted from the field emission material 325 on the cathode surface, some of the electrons 400 will pass through the opening(s) of the gate electrode 200, while other electrons 400 are absorbed by the gate electrode 200 (e.g., some emitted electrons will bombard the gate electrode).

(12) The gate electrode 200, in some instances, is configured to include multiple linear bars in a grill-like structure (see, e.g., the plan view in FIG. 2A). In other instances, the gate electrode 200 is configured as a mesh-like structure (see., e.g., the plan view in FIG. 2B). Moreover, the gate electrode 200 is generally comprised of a conductive material with a high melting temperature, such as, for example, tungsten, molybdenum, stainless steel, or doped silicon.

(13) During the electron field emission process, the emitted electrons, particularly those not passing through the gate electrode, will bombard the gate electrode, thereby resulting in heating of the gate electrode. The heating of the gate electrode, in some prior art instances, may cause structural deformation of the structure (e.g., sagging or saddling of the gate electrode due to thermal stress/expansion and/or gravity) such that the gap between the gate electrode and the field emission material on the cathode surface is reduced. The reduction of the gap between the gate electrode and the field emission material increases the electron bombardment of the gate electrode (e.g., increases the field current), which causes increased heating of the gate electrode. The increased heating of the gate electrode, leading to increased heat-induced structural deformation gate electrode, can cause permanent damage to and/or failure of the gate electrode.

(14) Aspects of the present disclosure thus provide a field emission cathode device 100, comprising a cathode element 300 having a field emission surface (e.g., the field emission material 350), wherein a gate electrode element 200 is disposed in spaced-apart relation to the field emission surface 350 of the cathode element 300 so as to define a gap 250 therebetween. The gate electrode element 200 generally extends laterally between opposing anchored ends 200A, 200B (e.g., from a side view or a cross-sectional view of the field emission cathode device 100 as shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5, and 6). In particular aspects, the gate electrode element 200 is arranged/configured to deform away from the field emission surface 350 of the cathode element 300 in response to heat (e.g., a generated by the field current/ion bombardment during operation), so as to increase the gap 250 between the field emission surface 350 and the gate electrode element 200.

(15) That is, for example, the structure(s) of aspects of a gate electrode element 200 as disclosed herein address the identified deficiencies of prior art gate electrode. For example, in some aspects, the gate electrode element 200 defines opposed first and second laterally-extending surfaces 210A, 210B, with the first laterally-extending surface 210A being disposed to face the field emission surface 350 of the cathode element 300, and wherein the first laterally-extending surface 210A between the opposing ends 200A, 200B is planar or concave. In such aspects, the second laterally-extending surface 210B is opposed to the first laterally-extending surface 210A so as to face away from the field emission surface 350, and wherein the second laterally-extending surface 210B between the opposing ends 200A, 200B is convex or includes a series of convex protrusions.

(16) More particularly, as shown for example in FIGS. 4A and 4B, one aspect of a gate electrode 200 according to the present disclosure has a planar first laterally-extending surface 210A, while the second laterally-extending surface 210B is convex. Upon heating of the gate electrode element 200, the gate electrode element 200, as shown in FIG. 4B will tend to deform away from the field emission material 350 on the cathode surface in response to thermal stress/expansion. That is, for example, due to pre-stressing from anchoring the opposing ends 200A, 200B or from the increased thickness toward the medial portion (e.g., the gate electrode element 200 defines a thickness between the opposed first and second laterally-extending surfaces 210A, 210B, with the thickness being greater about a medial portion thereof than toward the opposed ends 200A, 200B) of the gate electrode element 200, the thermal expansion of the gate electrode element 200 due to heat during operation will cause deformation of the gate electrode element 200 in the direction of least physical resistance, which will be in a direction away from the cathode surface 350.

(17) In other aspects, for example, the gate electrode element 200 can have a first laterally-extending surface 210A that is concave in relation to the cathode surface 350, while the second laterally-extending surface 210B is convex, as shown in FIG. 5. In yet other aspects, for example, the gate electrode element 200 can have a first laterally-extending surface 210A that is planar, while the second laterally-extending surface 210B defines a series of convex protrusions (e.g., in relation to a side view or cross-sectional view of the gate electrode element 200), as shown in FIG. 6. In such instances as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the thermal expansion of the gate electrode element 200 due to heat during operation will cause deformation of the gate electrode element 200 in the direction of least physical resistance, which will be in a direction away from the cathode surface 350.

(18) Heat-induced deformation of the gate electrode element away from the cathode surface, particularly in light of the arrangements/configurations of a gate electrode element as disclosed herein, will increase the gap between the gate electrode element and the cathode surface. The increased gap, in turn, reduces the intensity of electric field-induced emission current (e.g., emission of electrons from the field emission material of the cathode surface), which will decrease or alleviate the heating of the gate electrode element. Decreased heating will thus cause reversal of the expansion/deformation of the gate electrode element, causing the gate electrode element to return toward the normal unexpanded configuration. Accordingly, aspects of a gate electrode according to the present disclosure thus provide a self-regulating or self-attenuation feedback mechanism for avoiding overheating and/or permanent deformation of the gate electrode element.

(19) That is, aspects of the present disclosure provide a gate electrode element arranged to expand laterally in response to heat generated by bombardment of electrons emitted from the field emission surface in response to an electric field between the gate electrode element and the field emission surface of the cathode element. The resulting deformation of the gate electrode element in response to the lateral expansion increases the gap between the gate electrode element and the field emission surface of the cathode element, and decreases the bombardment of electrons on the gate electrode element. The decreased electron bombardment of the electrons on the gate electrode element thus reduces the generated heat, and causes the gate electrode element to laterally contract and thereby reverse the deformation thereof. The deformation and reversal of that deformation will thus self-regulate upon the field emission cathode device attaining steady-state operation.

(20) Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these disclosed embodiments pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that embodiments of the invention are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the invention. Moreover, although the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings describe example embodiments in the context of certain example combinations of elements and/or functions, it should be appreciated that different combinations of elements and/or functions may be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the disclosure. In this regard, for example, different combinations of elements and/or functions than those explicitly described above are also contemplated within the scope of the disclosure. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

(21) It should be understood that although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various steps or calculations, these steps or calculations should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one operation or calculation from another. For example, a first calculation may be termed a second calculation, and, similarly, a second step may be termed a first step, without departing from the scope of this disclosure. As used herein, the term and/or and the / symbol includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

(22) As used herein, the singular forms a, an and the are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms comprises, comprising, includes, and/or including, when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. Therefore, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting.