ELECTRON GUN, MANUFACTURE THEREOF, AND FIELD EMISSION DISPLAY

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electron gun, having an emitter consisting of a carbon nanotube having a small tip diameter and a low work function of such a structure that the axial direction of the nanotube can be aligned in the anode direction without resorting to affixation and the tube end in the axial direction can be used as an emitter edge. SOLUTION: An electroconductive silicon layer (cathode) 10 is provided at the surface with a number of projections, for example Si cones 12. A carbon nanotube 20 to serve as emitter is grown directly on the conical surface of each Si cone 12, and its forefront 20A protrudes farther from the crest 12A of the cone 12. A grid (gate) 30 for controlling the amount of electron emission from the nanotube 20 is installed in a position which does not interfere with the flying path of electrons emitted from the nanotube 20. An anode (fluorescent plate) 40 is installed in a position confronting the silicon layer 10 with the grid 30 interposed.