Abstract:
A cathode heater (10) includes a patterned heater conductor (14) embedded between a dielectric ceramic substrate (12) and a dielectric ceramic layer (16). The ceramic (12,16) has a pair of conductors (20,22) over the respective surfaces thereof to provide electrical contact for the heater. To assemble, the substrate (12) and the layer (16) having the conductors, the substrate (12), layer (16) and printed conductive patterns (20,14,22) are fired to provide a composite multi-layer ceramic heater which can be used to heat cathode electrodes in microwave tubes such as travelling wave tubes. Conductive material (24,26) in holes (12',16') in the substrate (12) and layer (16) provides electrical connection between the conductors (20,22) and the patterned heater conductor (14).
Abstract:
A low-power cathode can be obtained by arranging it on a substrate (1), preferably of silicon, which is entirely or partly removed at the location of the emissive structure (11) by means of, for example, anisotropic etching. A method of manufacture provides a layer of etch- stopping silicon nitride or highly doped silicon. Because of its low power, the cathode is particularly suitable for multi-beam applications.
Abstract:
An element for use as a thermionic cathode and/ or a light emitting device comprising a semiconductor substrate (1) having a recess (3) therein with a bridge structure extending across the recess and comprising a metal layer (9) on a support layer (5). The bridge structure may be in the form of a narrow linear strip or alternatively it may comprise a broad band of support material with a metal layer in the form of a sinuous strip (21) or (91) supported thereon. The element may be enclosed in an envelope and in a preferred construction the metal layer is only about 5 microns wide but the support layer is mechanically stable up to about 1100 K. Preferably the semiconductor substrate is silicon and the support material is silicon dioxide or silicon nitride (15). In one construction the element can be used as a thermionic cathode (25) and the element may form part of a thermionic cathode assembly forming part of a display device with a phosphor screen, a grid assembly (27) between the cathode assembly (25) and the screen and an anode for accelerating electrons from the cathode to the screen. Preferably, therefore, cathode ray deflection means are also provided. The elements may be closely packed in matrix form to provide a cathode assembly on a single wafer of semiconductor material (45) to form part of a display device with a screen, accelerating anode, grid assembly 43, etc. The matrix of elements may be addressed by a digital logic circuit and suitable drive circuits and the grid (43) may be provided with an even potential over its surface so that light produced by electrons impinging upon the screen (41) will be produced in a matrix of pixels corresponding to the addressed elements. The intensity of each pixel may be controlled by adjusting the current supplied to the relevant cathode element or by adjusting the potential difference between the grid (49) and cathode assembly (39). As an alternative, the matrix may be addressed by applying equal current flowto each element in a row of the matrix in which case each grid element in a corresponding row of the grid would be addressed separately. Alternatively, equal current may be supplied to each cathode element and the grid assembly may be intheform of a matrix of elements to each of which is applied an independent bias potential. It is envisaged that the or each element instead of providing a thermionic cathode may each provide a light emitting device and the elements can again be provided in the form of a matrix and the amount of light emitting from each element would be controlled by the current passed to each element. In some simple cathode structures, the support layer may be etched away so that the bridge across the recess in the substrate is formed just of a metal layer.
Abstract:
A novel self-supporting flat display screen based on thermionic emission of indirectly heated cathode structures (23, 30, 31, 32, 34; 230, 32, 34) is provided utilizing micro-filament heaters (21) that can be interconnected in any predetermined manner. The planar micro-filament (21) construction utilizes Dewer and Dewer-like techniques (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15) for controlling the thermal energy emitted and lowering the power consumption of a display device. Several control electrode techniques (42, 52, 33, 133, 142) are also incorporated in the invention to reduce the voltage levels required to control the display and simplify the overall electronic control circuitry needed by the display device. These techniques are combined to provide a high intensity, high contrast flat panel display using low voltage off-the-shelf electronic driver circuitry.
Abstract:
A novel self-supporting flat display screen based on thermionic emission of indirectly heated cathode structures (23, 30, 31, 32, 34; 230, 32, 34) is provided utilizing micro-filament heaters (21) that can be interconnected in any predetermined manner. The planar micro-filament (21) construction utilizes Dewer and Dewer-like techniques (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15) for controlling the thermal energy emitted and lowering the power consumption of a display device. Several control electrode techniques (42, 52, 33, 133, 142) are also incorporated in the invention to reduce the voltage levels required to control the display and simplify the overall electronic control circuitry needed by the display device. These techniques are combined to provide a high intensity, high contrast flat panel display using low voltage off-the-shelf electronic driver circuitry.
Abstract:
A cathode body (27) is provided with an insulating substrate (21) having a pair of facing surfaces and thermal conductivity and a cathode base body (24) is provided on one surface of the substrate (21). On the other surface of the substrate (21), a heating element (25) is formed for heating the base body (24). Electrode terminals (26) are fixed to the electrodes of the heating element (25) with conductive layers (26a) in between. A first grid (30) is fixed to the substrate (21) in a state where the grid (30) is confronted with the base body (24) with a prescribed gap in between.
Abstract:
A cathode assembly (27) includes a thermally conductive insulating substrate (21) having a pair of opposing surfaces. A cathode base member (24) is formed on one surface of the insulating substrate, and a heating member (25) for heating the cathode base member is formed on the other surface of the insulating substrate. A heater electrode terminal (26) is fixed to the electrode of the heating member through a metal layer (26a). A first grid (30) is fixed to the insulating substrate to oppose the cathode base member through a predetermined space.