Electron emission device and transistor provided with the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9779906-B2
Application number	US-201515503539-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2015
Priority date	Nov 19, 2014
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

An electron emission device includes a substrate and an electron emission layer. The electron emission layer is provided above the substrate, and is provided with an opening. The electron emission layer has an edge defining the opening and is configured to emit electrons from the edge when the edge is irradiated with light.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electron emission device comprising:
a substrate; and
an electron emission layer disposed above the substrate, wherein an opening is arranged in the electron emission layer,
wherein the electron emission layer has an edge defining the opening and is configured to emit electrons from the edge when the edge is irradiated with light.

2. The electron emission device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a light irradiator configured to irradiate light toward the electron emission layer.

3. The electron emission device according to claim 2 , wherein
the opening of the electron emission layer includes a shape extending in a longitudinal direction when seen along a direction orthogonal to an upper surface of the substrate, and
the light irradiator is configured to irradiate a laser beam of linearly polarized light of which oscillation plane of electric field is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.

4. The electron emission device according to claim 2 , wherein
a material of the substrate is transparent to the light of the light irradiator, and
the light irradiator is configured to irradiate the light toward the electron emission layer through the substrate.

5. The electron emission device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an extraction electrode disposed above the electron emission layer, wherein an opening is arranged in the extraction electrode,
wherein the opening of the extraction electrode is located above the opening of the electron emission layer.

6. The electron emission device according to claim 5 , wherein
the edge defining the opening of the electron emission layer is within the opening of the extraction electrode when seen along the direction orthogonal to the upper surface of the substrate.

7. The electron emission device according to claim 5 , wherein
a convex is arranged on the upper surface of the substrate,
a part of a side surface of the convex is covered with the electron emission layer, and
a top surface of the convex is exposed through the opening of the electron emission layer.

8. A transistor comprising:
a substrate;
a cathode layer disposed above the substrate, wherein an opening is arranged in the cathode layer; and
an anode layer disposed above the cathode layer,
wherein the cathode layer has an edge defining the opening and is configured to emit electrons from the edge when the edge is irradiated with light.

9. The transistor according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a light irradiator configured to irradiate light toward the cathode layer.

10. The transistor according to claim 9 , wherein
the opening of the cathode layer has a shape extending along a longitudinal direction when seen along a direction orthogonal to an upper surface of the substrate, and
the light irradiator is configured to irradiate a laser beam of linearly polarized light of which oscillation plane of electric field is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.

11. The transistor according to claim 9 , wherein
a material of the substrate is transparent to the light of the light irradiator, and
the light irradiator is configured to irradiate the light toward the cathode layer through the substrate.

12. The transistor according to claim 8 , further comprising:
an extraction electrode disposed between the cathode layer and the anode layer, wherein an opening is arranged in the extraction electrode,
wherein the opening of the extraction electrode is located above the opening of the cathode layer.

13. The transistor according to claim 12 , wherein
the edge defining the opening of the cathode layer is within the opening of the extraction electrode when seen along the direction orthogonal to the upper surface of the substrate.

14. The transistor according to claim 12 , wherein
convex is arranged on the upper surface of the substrate,
a part of a side surface of the convex is covered with the cathode layer, and
a top surface of the convex is exposed through the opening of the cathode layer.

15. A transistor comprising:
the electron emission device according to claim 1 ; and
an anode layer disposed above the electron emission layer.

Assignees

• Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho Kk

Inventors

• Ishikawa Tsuyoshi
• Katsuno Takashi
• Soejima Narumasa

Classifications

• H01J1/34

  Photo-emissive cathodes (H01J1/35 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01J1/3046

  Edge emitters · CPC title

• H01J29/481 Primary

  Electron guns using field-emission, photo-emission, or secondary-emission electron source · CPC title

• H01S3/1636

  Al2O3 (Sapphire) · CPC title

• H01J1/35

  Electrodes exhibiting both secondary emission and photo-emission · CPC title