The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 16, 1978
Filed:
Dec. 20, 1976
Hitachi, Ltd., , JA;
Abstract
A field emission electron gun according to this invention comprises a cathode for emitting electrons, an anode, a high voltage source which applies a high voltage between the cathode and the anode in order to cause emission of electrons from the cathode, a reference voltage source, voltage control means for controlling and stabilizing the output voltage of the high voltage source in response to an output voltage of the reference voltage source, means for detecting the value of an emission current from the cathode, means for delivering as an output a signal corresponding to the difference between the detected value and a desired value, and means for applying the output signal to the reference voltage source through a switch. The reference voltage source includes means which, when the switch is in the closed state, controls the output voltage of the reference voltage source in response to the difference output signal, and means which, when the switch is in the open state, continues to hold the output voltage value of the reference voltage source immediately before the opening of the switch as it is. The electron gun of this invention accordingly conducts when the switch is in the closed state, a constant current operation which makes constant the emission current from the cathode, and conducts when the switch is in the open state, a constant voltage operation which makes constant the voltage applied between the cathode and the anode.