摘要:
The present invention provides methods and apparatus for making enhanced field emitters by coating particulate substrates with low voltage emissive material such as defect-rich diamond. These methods permit the advantageous, low-cost combination of low voltage emission with sharp-featured geometry.
摘要:
In accordance with the invention, a field emission device is made by disposing emitter material on an insulating substrate, applying masking particles to the emitter material, applying an insulating film and a gate conductor film over the masking particles and emitter material and removing the particles to reveal a random distribution of apertures to the emitter material. The result is a novel and economical field emission device having numerous randomly distributed emission apertures which can be used to make low cost flat panel displays.
摘要:
In accordance with the invention, a field emission device is provided with an improved pillar structure comprising multi-layer pillars. The pillars have a geometric structure that traps most secondary electrons and an exposed surface that reduces the number of secondary electrons. Processing and assembly methods permit low-cost manufacturing of high breakdown-voltage devices, including flat panel displays.
摘要:
A field emission display includes corrugated insulating support pillars (96) disposed between the phosphorous layer (95) and the substrate (50) for reducing arcing between the cathode (92) and the anode (93) along the surface of the pillar. The corrugation of the insulating support pillars provides for a substantially increased operating voltage between the cathode and the anodes thereby increasing the operating life and efficiency of the field emission display.
摘要:
An improved gridded microwave tube is provided, the tube containing a cold cathode, an anode, and a grid located between the anode and cathode. In one embodiment, the cold cathode has a refractory metal substrate and carbon nanotube emitters, the emitters having a diameter of 1 to 300 nm and a length of 0.05 to 100 &mgr;m. The grid-cathode spacing is 1 to 100 &mgr;m, the grid contains apertures having a maximum dimension of 0.5 to 100 &mgr;m, and the grid thickness is 0.5 to 100 &mgr;m. Emission from the cathode directly onto the grid material itself, which undesirably heats the grid, is reduced by either (a) the presence of a shadow mask between the grid and the emitters or (b) selective formation of the emitters in locations that correspond to the grid apertures. The microwave tube operates at a frequency of greater than 0.5 GHz, advantageously greater than 2 GHz.
摘要:
Applicants have discovered methods for making, treating and using diamonds which substantially enhance their capability for low voltage emission. Specifically, applicants have discovered that defect-rich diamonds--diamonds grown or treated to increase the concentration of defects--have enhanced properties of low voltage emission. Defect-rich diamonds are characterized in Raman spectroscopy by a diamond peak at 1332 cm.sup.-1 broadened by a full width at half maximum .DELTA.K in the range 5-15 cm.sup.-1 (and preferably 7-11 cm.sup.-1). Such defect-rich diamonds can emit electron current densities of 0.1 mA/mm.sup.2 or more at a low applied field of 25 V/.mu.m or less. Particularly advantageous structures use such diamonds in an array of islands or particles each less than 10 .mu.m in diameter at fields of 15 V/.mu.m or less.
摘要:
In accordance with the present invention, a field emission device is made by pre-activating ultra-fine diamond particles before applying them to the device substrate. This initial pre-activation increases manufacturing speed and reduces cost and reduces potential damage to the device substrate from exposure to high temperature hydrogen plasma.
摘要:
In accordance with the invention, a field emission device is made by disposing emitter material on an insulating substrate, applying a sacrificial film to the emitter material and forming over the sacrificial layer a conductive gate layer having a random distribution of apertures therein. In the preferred process, the gate is formed by applying masking particles to the sacrificial film, applying a conductive film over the masking particles and the sacrificial film and then removing the masking particles to reveal a random distribution of apertures. The sacrificial film is then removed. The apertures then extend to the emitter material. In a preferred embodiment, the sacrificial film contains dielectric spacer particles which remain after the film is removed to separate the emitter from the gate. The result is a novel and economical field emission device having numerous randomly distributed emission apertures which can be used to make low cost flat panel displays.
摘要:
An improved process for fabricating emitter structures from nanowires, wherein the nanowires are coated with a magnetic material to allow useful alignment of the wires in the emitter array, and techniques are utilized to provide desirable protrusion of the aligned nanowires in the final structure. In one embodiment, nanowires at least partially coated by a magnetic material are provided, the nanowires having an average length of about 0.1 &mgr;m to about 10,000 &mgr;m. The nanowires are mixed in a liquid medium, and a magnetic field is applied to align the nanowires. The liquid medium is provided with a precursor material capable of consolidation into a solid matrix, e.g., conductive particles or a metal salt, the matrix securing the nanowires in an aligned orientation. A portion of the aligned nanowires are exposed, e.g., by etching a surface portion of the matrix material, to provide desirable nanowire tip protrusion.
摘要:
In accordance with the invention, an improved conductive nanostructure assembly comprises an array of metallized nanostructures disposed on a conductive substrate. The substrate can also be metallized. Such assemblies provide continuous electron transport from the substrate to the tips of the nanostructures. Several ways of making such assemblies are described along with several devices employing the assemblies.