Carbon Nanotube Cathodes for Electron Gun

Two carbon nanotubes cold cathodes, employable in electron guns for linear vacuum tubes (traveling-wave tubes, Klystron), are realized considering an extracting grid in two different configurations: integrated or externally mounted. The electron field emission of the two cathodes is measured to compare the two devices. In an external extracting grid, a transparency of 72% and a maximum current density of 3.2 <formula formulatype="inline"><tex Notation="TeX">${\rm mA}/{\rm cm}^{2}$</tex></formula> are obtained, whereas in the integrated grid device, a transparency of 75% and a maximum current density of 74 <formula formulatype="inline"> <tex Notation="TeX">${\rm mA/cm}^{2}$</tex></formula> are obtained. The high transparency achieved makes the two cathodes attractive for low power consumption vacuum tubes.

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