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:
Nov. 23, 2004
Filed:
Oct. 12, 2001
Xia Sheng, Los Altos, CA (US);
Henryk Birecki, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Si-Ty Lam, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Huei-Pei Kuo, Cupertino, CA (US);
Steven Louis Naberhuis, Fremont, CA (US);
Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P., Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
In an electron emitter based on Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor or Metal-Insulator-Metal emitters, field emission structures are enclosed within the emitter structure. The electron emitter may include a conductive substrate and an electron supply layer formed on the conductive substrate. The electron supply layer, for example undoped polysilicon, has protrusions formed on its surface. The sharpness and density of protrusions may be controlled. Above the electron supply layer and the protrusions, an insulator may be formed thereby enclosing the protrusions. A top conductive layer may be formed above the insulator. The enclosed protrusions are relatively insensitive to vacuum contamination. The thinness of the insulator allows high intensity electric fields at the protrusions to be generated with low applied voltage. Field-enhanced injection of electrons into the insulator and thence through the top conductive layer results. Furthermore, electron beam dispersion and divergence are minimized.