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Title: Carbon-containing cathodes for enhanced electron emission

Patent ·
OSTI ID:873106
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. Cupertino, CA
  2. Pleasanton, CA
  3. Madrid, ES
  4. Los Altos, CA
+ Show Author Affiliations

A cathode has electropositive atoms directly bonded to a carbon-containing substrate. Preferably, the substrate comprises diamond or diamond-like (sp.sup.3) carbon, and the electropositive atoms are Cs. The cathode displays superior efficiency and durability. In one embodiment, the cathode has a negative electron affinity (NEA). The cathode can be used for field emission, thermionic emission, or photoemission. Upon exposure to air or oxygen, the cathode performance can be restored by annealing or other methods. Applications include detectors, electron multipliers, sensors, imaging systems, and displays, particularly flat panel displays.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
Assignee:
Board of Trustees of Leland Stanford Junior University (Palo Alto, CA); Sandia National Laboratories (Livermore, CA)
Patent Number(s):
US 6091186
OSTI ID:
873106
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (3)

Properties of metal/diamond interfaces and effects of oxygen adsorbed onto diamond surface journal March 1991
Photoelectron Emission from the Cesiated Diamond (110) Surface journal January 1995
The diamond surface: atomic and electronic structure journal January 1986

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Related Subjects

carbon-containing
cathodes
enhanced
electron
emission
cathode
electropositive
atoms
directly
bonded
substrate
preferably
comprises
diamond
diamond-like
sp
carbon
cs
displays
superior
efficiency
durability
embodiment
negative
affinity
nea
field
thermionic
photoemission
exposure
air
oxygen
performance
restored
annealing
methods
applications
detectors
multipliers
sensors
imaging
systems
particularly
flat
panel
substrate comprises
electron emission
field emission
flat panel
electron affinity
panel displays
panel display
negative electron
thermionic emission
imaging systems
electron multipliers
electron multiplier
electropositive atoms
containing substrate
/313/257/445/