Thin film room-temperature electron emitter

Claim 2

A cold-cathode vacuum tube, comprising: an enclosure defining a space containing a vacuum; means mounted within sAid space for providing emission of free electrons at room temperatures, said means including: an electrically insulation substrate, a thin film of semiconductive material deposited onto said substrate, said film having a uniform break entirely across and substantially parallel to one side thereof, and means electrically coupled to said thin film for establishing a longitudinal electric field therein in a direction normal to said break; and means mounted within said space for generating an electric field having a direction normal to the direction of said longitudinal electric field and said break to thereby attract said free electrons.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1, wherein said thin film has a thickness of approximately 1 micron.

Claim 4

The device of claim 2, wherein said means for generating an electric field having a direction normal to the direction of said longitudinal field and said break, comprises: a source of high positive electric potential, and an anode coupled to said source.

Claim 5

The device of claim 3, wherein said means for establishing a longitudinal electric field is variable to thereby control the emission of said free electrons.

Claim 6

In a vacuum tube, a room temperature electron emitter, comprising: an electrically insulating substrate; a thin film of semiconductive material deposited onto said substrate, said thin film having a uniform break entirely across and substantially parallel to one side thereof; and means electrically coupled to said thin film for establishing a longitudinal electric field therein in a direction normal to said break.

Claim 7

In a vacuum tube, a room temperature electron emitter, comprising: an electrically insulating substrate; a thin film of semiconductive material deposited onto said substrate, said thin film having a uniform break entirely across and substantially parallel to one side thereof; and means electrically coupled to said thin film for establishing a longitudinal electric field therein in a direction normal to said break.

Claim 8

The device of claim 5, wherein said thin film has a thickness of approximately 1 micron.

Claim 9

The device of claim 6, wherein said means for establishing a longitudinal electric field is variable to thereby control the emission of said free electrons.

Claim 10

A cold-cathode vacuum tube, comprising: an enclosure defining a space containing a vacuum; means mounted within said space for providing emission of free electrons at room temperatures, said means including: an electrically insulating substrate, a plurality of noncontiguous droplets of semiconductive material deposited onto said substrate at random, a plurality of noncontiguous droplets of metal deposited onto said substrate at random and in contact with said semiconductive material; means electrically coupled to said substrate for establishing a longitudinal electric field thereacross; and means mounted within said space for generating an electric field having a direction normal to the direction of said longitudinal electric field to thereby attract said free electrons away from said electron emission providing means.

Claim 11

A cold-cathode vacuum tube, comprising: an enclosure defining a space containing a vacuum; means mounted within said space for providing emission of free electrons at room temperatures, said means including: an electrically insulating substrate, a plurality of noncontiguous droplets of semiconductive material deposited onto said substrate at random, a plurality of noncontiguous droplets of metal deposited onto said substrate at random and in contact with said semiconductive material; means electrically coupled to said substrate for establishing a longitudinal electric field thereacross; and means mounted within said space for generating an electric field having a direction normal to the direction of said longitudinal electric field to thereby attract said free electrons away from said electron emission providing means.

Claim 12

The device of claim 8, wherein said means for generating an electric field having a direction normal to the direction of said longitudinal field, comprises: a source of high positive electrical potential, and superconducting anode coupled to said source.

Claim 13

The device of claim 9, wherein said means for establishing a longitudinal electric field is variable to thereby control the emission of said free electrons.

Claim 14

In a vacuum tube, a room temperature electron emitter, comprising: an electrically insulating substrate; a plurality of noncontiguous droplets of semiconductive material deposited onto said substrate at random, a plurality of noncontiguous droplets of metal deposited onto said substrate at random, said metal droplets in contact with said semiconductive material; and means electrically coupled to said substrate for establishing a longitudinal electric field thereacross.

Claim 15

In a vacuum tube, a room temperature electron emitter, comprising: an electrically insulating substrate; a plurality of noncontiguous droplets of semiconductive material deposited onto said substrate at random, a plurality of noncontiguous droplets of metal deposited onto said substrate at random, said metal droplets in contact with said semiconductive material; and means electrically coupled to said substrate for establishing a longitudinal electric field thereacross.

Claim 16

The device of claim 11, wherein said means for establishing a longitudinal electric field is variable to thereby control the emission of said free electrons.