EP0797233A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Thin-film electron emitter device and application equipment using the same
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 1997-03-12
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2017-03-12
Abstract
Abstract A thin-film electron emitter device comes with a multilayer structure consisting of two, upper and lower electrodes with an insulative or dielectric layer being sandwiched therebetween. The upper or "top" electrode is structured from a sequential lamination of an interface layer, intermediate or "middle" layer and surface layer on or above the dielectric layer. The middle layer is made of a chosen material which is greater in sublimation enthalpy than the surface layer and yet less than the interface layer. When appropriate, the surface layer may be omitted providing two-layer structure rather than the three-layer structure.
Inventors
- 👤 Toshiaki Kusunoki
- 👤 Mutsumi Suzuki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 02:33
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01M; H01M16/00; H01J; H01J1/00; H01J1/02; H01J1/30; H01J1/312; B; B82; B82Y; B82Y10/00; H01J2237/00; H01J2237/30; H01J2237/317; H01J2237/3175; H01J2237/31777; H01J2237/31781; H01J2237/31783; H01J2329/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
A thin-film electron emitter device comprising: a multilayer thin-film structure including upper and lower electrodes (11, 13) with an insulative layer (12) laid therebetween; said upper and lower electrodes (11, 13) receiving a voltage (20) with the upper electrode being positive in polarity allowing said upper electrode to emit electrons from a surface thereof into a vacuum (10); said upper electrode having a two-layer structure including a first layer (16) and a second layer (17, 18) as sequentially stacked on said insulative layer (12); and said first layer (16) being made of a chosen material being greater in sublimation enthalpy than said second layer (17, 18) preferably including platinum (Pt).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
115 words
A thin-film electron emitter device comprising: a multilayer thin-film structure including upper and lower electrodes (11, 13) with an insulative layer (12) sandwiched therebetween; said upper and lower electrodes (11, 13) adapted to receive a voltage (20) of a positive polarity with respect to the upper electrode allowing said upper electrode to emit electrons from a surface thereof to a vacuum (10); said upper electrode (11) having a three-layer structure of an interface layer (16), an intermediate layer (17) and a surface layer (18) as sequentially laminated on or above said insulative layer; and said intermediate layer (17) being less in sublimation enthalpy than said interface layer (17) and greater than said surface layer (18).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The device of claim 2, wherein said intermediate layer (17) comprises platinum (Pt).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
173 words
A thin-film electron emitter device comprising a multilayer thin-film structure including upper and lower electrodes (11, 13) with an insulative layer (12) laid therebetween; said upper and lower electrodes (11, 13) adapted to externally receive a voltage (20) with the upper electrode positive in polarity allowing said upper electrode to emit electrons from a surface thereof to a vacuum (10); said upper electrode having a three-layer structure including an interface layer (16), an intermediate layer (17) and a surface layer (18) as sequentially laminated on or above said insulative layer (12); said interface layer (16) being made of one selected from the group consisting of zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), ruthenium (Ru), molybdenum (Mo), iridium (Ir), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta), rhenium (Re), osmium (Os), and tungsten (W) or an alloy of plural elements as selected therefrom; said intermediate layer (17) comprising platinum (Pt); and said surface layer (18) being made of one selected from the group consisting of gold (Au), silver (Ag) and copper (Cu) or an alloy of plural ones as selected therefrom.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
114 words
A thin-film electron emitter device comprising: a multilayer thin-film structure including upper and lower electrodes (11, 13) with an insulative layer (12) therebetween; said upper and lower electrodes (11, 13) adapted to receive a voltage (20) of a positive polarity with respect to the upper electrode allowing said upper electrode to emit electrons from a surface thereof to a vacuum (10); said upper electrode (11) having a two-layer structure of an interface layer (16) and an intermediate layer (17) as sequentially laminated on or above said insulative layer (12); said intermediate layer being made of platinum (Pt); and said interface layer being made of a material being greater in sublimation enthalpy than said platinum.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
33 words
The device of any of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a power supply lead layer (19, 32) physically coupled to said upper electrode for supply of a voltage to said upper electrode.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
25 words
The device of any of claims 2 to 6, wherein said interface layer (17) is equal to or less than three (3) nanometers in thickness.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
44 words
The device of any of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: a dielectric protective layer (15) provided between said upper electrode (11) and side edges and corners of said lower electrode (13), said protective layer being greater in thickness than said insulative layer (12).
Claim 9
Independent Claim
24 words
The device of any of claims 1 to 8, wherein said lower electrode (13) is of a metallic material or of a semiconductive material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
An electron emitter application apparatus comprising an array of plural thin-film electron emitter devices, each device being any of claims 1 to 9.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
An electron emitter application apparatus comprising: a thin-film electron emitter substrate as an electron source of said apparatus, said substrate having thereon an array of rows and columns of thin-film electron emitter devices, each device being any of claims 1 to 9.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
A display apparatus comprising: a thin-film electron emitter device of any of claims 1 to 9 and a plate having a phosphor film (114) thereon; and said electron emitter device and said plate being disposed causing electrons emitted from said electron emitter device to hit said phosphor film.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said electron emitter device and said plate are sealed with a spacer placed therebetween, said spacer ranging from 1 to 3 millimeters (mm) in thickness.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
An electron-beam lithography apparatus comprising: at least one thin-film electron emitter device of any of claims 1 to 9; and an electron lens (220) allowing electrons from said electron emitter device to pass therethrough.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
51 words
An electron beam lithography apparatus comprising: a substrate (240); an array preferably of rows and columns of thin-film electron emitter devices on said substrate, each said device being any of claims 1 to 9; and an electron lens (220) allowing electrons emitted from said thin-film electron emitter device to pass therethrough.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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