Electron emitter

Abstract

Provided is a piezoelectric-film-type electron emitter of high durability exhibiting suppressed reduction in electron emission quantity, which reduction would otherwise occur with repeated use of the electron emitter. The electron emitter includes a substrate, a lower electrode, an emitter layer, and an upper electrode. The upper electrode has a plurality of openings, and an emitter section located on the top surface of the emitter layer is exposed through the openings to a reduced-pressure atmosphere. The electron emitter is configured so that when a pulse drive voltage Va is applied between the lower electrode and the upper electrode, electrons are accumulated on the emitter section, and then the electrons are emitted toward the reduced-pressure atmosphere. The emitter layer contains a primary component (i.e., a ferroelectric composition) and an additional component. The additional component contains a transition metal oxide of high oxidation number which can serve as an oxidizing agent by being converted into an oxide of the transition metal of lower oxidation number.