Electrochemical sharpening of field emission tips

Patent · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1999

OSTI ID:872237

Bernhardt, Anthony F ^[1]

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1. Berkeley, CA

A method for sharpening field emitter tips by electroetching/polishing. In gated field emitters, it is very important to initiate electron emission at the lowest possible voltage and thus the composition of the emitter and the gate, as well as the emitter-gate structure, are important factors. This method of sharpening the emitter tips uses the grid as a counter electrode in electroetching of the emitters, which can produce extremely sharp emitter tips as well as remove asperities and other imperfections in the emitters, each in relation to the specific grid hole in which it resides. This has the effect of making emission more uniform among the emitters as well as lowering the turn-on voltage.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 5891321
• OSTI ID: 872237
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

electrochemical
sharpening
field
emission
tips
method
emitter
electroetching
polishing
gated
emitters
initiate
electron
lowest
voltage
composition
gate
emitter-gate
structure
factors
grid
counter
electrode
produce
extremely
sharp
remove
asperities
imperfections
relation
specific
resides
effect
uniform
lowering
turn-on
electron emission
field emission
counter electrode
field emitter
field emitters
emitter tips
initiate electron
turn-on voltage
emission tips
gated field
/205/445/