Electron device electron source including a polycrystalline diamond

Claim 2

An electron device electron source comprising a polycrystalline diamond film having a surface including a plurality of crystallographic planes some of which exhibit an inherent affinity to retain electrons disposed at/near the surface which is less than 1.0 electron volt.

Claim 3

The electron source of claim 1 wherein the preferred crystallographic plane is the 111 crystal plane.

Claim 4

An electron device electron source comprising a polycrystalline diamond film having a surface including a plurality of crystallographic planes some of which exhibit an inherent negative affinity to retain electrons disposed at/near the surface of the material.

Claim 5

An electron device electron source comprising a polycrystalline diamond film having a surface including a plurality of crystallographic planes some of which exhibit an inherent negative affinity to retain electrons disposed at/near the surface of the material.

Claim 6

The electron source of claim 3 wherein the preferred crystallographic plane is the 111 crystal plane.

Claim 7

An electron device comprising: a polycrystalline diamond film having a surface including a plurality of crystallographic planes some of which exhibit a very low affinity to retain electrons disposed at/near the surface; an anode distally disposed with respect to the surface and constructed to have a voltage source coupled between the anode and the polycrystalline diamond film, such that providing a voltage of appropriate polarity between the anode and polycrystalline diamond film results in electron emission from crystallographic planes of the plurality of crystallographic planes exhibiting very low electron affinity which electron emission is substantially uniform and preferentially collected at the anode.

Claim 8

An electron device comprising: a polycrystalline diamond film having a surface including a plurality of crystallographic planes some of which exhibit a very low affinity to retain electrons disposed at/near the surface; an anode distally disposed with respect to the surface and constructed to have a voltage source coupled between the anode and the polycrystalline diamond film, such that providing a voltage of appropriate polarity between the anode and polycrystalline diamond film results in electron emission from crystallographic planes of the plurality of crystallographic planes exhibiting very low electron affinity which electron emission is substantially uniform and preferentially collected at the anode.

Claim 9

The electron device of claim 5 wherein the electron affinity is less than 1.0 electron volt.

Claim 10

The electron device of claim 5 wherein the preferred crystallographic plane is the 111 crystal plane.

Claim 11

The electron device of claim 5 wherein the anode includes: a substantially optically transparent faceplate having a major surface; a substantially optically transparent layer of conductive material disposed on the major surface of the faceplate; and a layer of cathodoluminescent material disposed on the substantially optically transparent layer of conductive material, such that emitted electrons collected at the anode stimulate photon emission in the cathodoluminescent layer to provide a substantially uniform light source.

Claim 12

The electron device of claim 5 further including a supporting substrate having a major surface on which the polycrystalline diamond film is disposed.

Claim 13

The electron device of claim 9 wherein the supporting substrate includes silicon.

Claim 14

An electron device comprising: a polycrystalline diamond film having a surface including a plurality of crystallographic planes some of which planes exhibit an affinity less than zero electron volts to retain electrons disposed at/near the surface; an anode distally disposed with respect to the surface; and a voltage source connected between the anode and polycrystalline diamond film resulting in electron emission from crystallographic planes of the plurality of crystallographic planes exhibiting an electron affinity of less than 0.0 electron volts which electron emission is substantially uniform and preferentially collected at the anode.

Claim 15

An electron device comprising: a polycrystalline diamond film having a surface including a plurality of crystallographic planes some of which planes exhibit an affinity less than zero electron volts to retain electrons disposed at/near the surface; an anode distally disposed with respect to the surface; and a voltage source connected between the anode and polycrystalline diamond film resulting in electron emission from crystallographic planes of the plurality of crystallographic planes exhibiting an electron affinity of less than 0.0 electron volts which electron emission is substantially uniform and preferentially collected at the anode.

Claim 16

The electron device of claim 11 wherein the preferred crystallographic plane is the 111 crystal plane.

Claim 17

The electron device of claim 11 wherein the anode includes: a substantially optically transparent faceplate having a major surface; a substantially optically transparent layer of conductive material disposed on the major surface of the faceplate; and a layer of cathodoluminescent material disposed on the substantially optically transparent layer of conductive material, such that emitted electrons collected at the anode stimulate photon emission in the cathodoluminescent layer to provide a substantially uniform light source.

Claim 18

An electron device comprising: a supporting substrate having a major surface; at least a plurality of electron sources each including a polycrystalline diamond film having a surface comprising a plurality of crystallographic planes some of which exhibit a very low electron affinity at/near the surface; an anode distally disposed with respect to the plurality of electron sources; a plurality of conductive paths disposed on the major surface of the supporting substrate and selectively operably coupled to the plurality of electron sources; a voltage source connected to the anode and a reference potential; and signal means operably applied to the plurality of electron sources and a reference potential, such that electrons are preferentially emitted from at least some electron sources of the plurality of electron sources and collected at areas of the anode substantially corresponding to the area of a selected electron source from which electrons have been emitted.

Claim 19

An electron device comprising: a supporting substrate having a major surface; at least a plurality of electron sources each including a polycrystalline diamond film having a surface comprising a plurality of crystallographic planes some of which exhibit a very low electron affinity at/near the surface; an anode distally disposed with respect to the plurality of electron sources; a plurality of conductive paths disposed on the major surface of the supporting substrate and selectively operably coupled to the plurality of electron sources; a voltage source connected to the anode and a reference potential; and signal means operably applied to the plurality of electron sources and a reference potential, such that electrons are preferentially emitted from at least some electron sources of the plurality of electron sources and collected at areas of the anode substantially corresponding to the area of a selected electron source from which electrons have been emitted.

Claim 20

The electron device of claim 14 wherein the electron affinity is less than 1.0 electron volt.

Claim 21

The electron device of claim 14 wherein the preferred crystallographic plane is the 111 crystal plane.

Claim 22

The electron device of claim 14 wherein the anode includes: a substantially optically transparent faceplate having a major surface; a substantially optically transparent layer of conductive material disposed on the major surface of the faceplate; and a layer of cathodoluminescent material disposed on the substantially optically transparent layer of conductive material, such that emitted electrons collected at selected areas of the anode stimulate photon emission in the cathodoluminescent layer to provide an image viewable at the faceplate.

Claim 23

An electron device comprising: a supporting substrate having a major surface; at least a plurality of electron sources each including a polycrystalline diamond film having a surface comprising a plurality of crystallographic planes some of which exhibit an electron affinity of less than zero electron volts at/near the surface; an anode distally disposed with respect to the plurality of electron sources; a plurality of conductive paths disposed on the major surface of the supporting substrate and selectively operably coupled to the plurality of electron sources; a voltage source connected between the anode and a reference potential; and signal means operably applied to the plurality of electron sources and a reference potential, such that electrons are preferentially emitted from at least some electron sources of the plurality of electron sources and collected at areas of the anode substantially corresponding to the area of a selected electron source from which electrons have been emitted.

Claim 24

An electron device comprising: a supporting substrate having a major surface; at least a plurality of electron sources each including a polycrystalline diamond film having a surface comprising a plurality of crystallographic planes some of which exhibit an electron affinity of less than zero electron volts at/near the surface; an anode distally disposed with respect to the plurality of electron sources; a plurality of conductive paths disposed on the major surface of the supporting substrate and selectively operably coupled to the plurality of electron sources; a voltage source connected between the anode and a reference potential; and signal means operably applied to the plurality of electron sources and a reference potential, such that electrons are preferentially emitted from at least some electron sources of the plurality of electron sources and collected at areas of the anode substantially corresponding to the area of a selected electron source from which electrons have been emitted.

Claim 25

The electron device of claim 18 wherein the preferred crystallographic plane is the 111 crystal plane.

Claim 26

The electron device of claim 18 wherein the anode includes: a substantially optically transparent faceplate having a major surface; a substantially optically transparent layer of conductive material disposed on the major surface of the faceplate; and a layer of cathodoluminescent material disposed on the substantially optically transparent layer of conductive material, such that emitted electrons collected at selected areas of the anode stimulate photon emission in the cathodoluminescent layer to provide an image viewable at the faceplate.