Electron beam apparatus comprising a semiconductor electron emitter

摘要

An electron beam apparatus comprising a semiconductor electron emitter whose emissive surface dimensions are determined by dimensions of a p-n junction provided in the semiconductor element. By optimizing the dimensions of the emissive surface in relation to the electron-optical properties of the apparatus, an emitter is realized which combines optimum beam formation or imaging with a sufficiently large beam current and a high beam current density as required by the apparatus.