Plasma treatment for producing electron emitters

Patent · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2001

OSTI ID:874126

Coates, Don Mayo ^[1]; Walter, Kevin Carl ^[2]

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1. Santa Fe, NM
2. Los Alamos, NM

Plasma treatment for producing carbonaceous field emission electron emitters is disclosed. A plasma of ions is generated in a closed chamber and used to surround the exposed surface of a carbonaceous material. A voltage is applied to an electrode that is in contact with the carbonaceous material. This voltage has a negative potential relative to a second electrode in the chamber and serves to accelerate the ions toward the carbonaceous material and provide an ion energy sufficient to etch the exposed surface of the carbonaceous material but not sufficient to result in the implantation of the ions within the carbonaceous material. Preferably, the ions used are those of an inert gas or an inert gas with a small amount of added nitrogen.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• Assignee: E.I. duPont de Nemours and Co. (Wilmington, DE); The Regents of the University of California (Oakland, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 6319367
• OSTI ID: 874126
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

plasma
treatment
producing
electron
emitters
carbonaceous
field
emission
disclosed
generated
closed
chamber
surround
exposed
surface
material
voltage
applied
electrode
contact
negative
potential
serves
accelerate
provide
energy
sufficient
etch
result
implantation
inert
gas
amount
added
nitrogen
carbonaceous material
inert gas
field emission
exposed surface
emission electron
closed chamber
producing carbon
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