Light source
First Claim
1. A light source for emitting light from an electron source by impingement of electrons upon a substance, whereinsaid electron source comprises an electron emitter;
- andsaid electron emitter comprises an emitter of a dielectric material and a first electrode and a second electrode which are disposed on said emitter;
wherein when a drive voltage is applied between said first electrode and said second electrode, at least a portion of said emitter has its polarization inverted to position positive poles of dipoles around said first electrode to draw primary electrons from said first electrode, and the primary electrons drawn from said first electrode impinge upon said emitter to cause the emitter to emit secondary electrons.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A light source has a light emission section comprising a two-dimensional array of electron emitters and a drive circuit for applying a drive voltage to each of the electron emitters of the light emission section. The drive circuit applies the drive voltage between upper and lower electrodes of each of the electron emitters based on a control signal representative of turn-on/turn-off from an external source (a turn-on/turn-off switch or the like), for thereby controlling each of the electron emitters. Each of the electron emitters has a plate-like emitter, an upper electrode disposed on a face side of the emitter, and a lower electrode disposed on a reverse side of the emitter.
50 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A light source for emitting light from an electron source by impingement of electrons upon a substance, wherein
said electron source comprises an electron emitter; - and
said electron emitter comprises an emitter of a dielectric material and a first electrode and a second electrode which are disposed on said emitter; wherein when a drive voltage is applied between said first electrode and said second electrode, at least a portion of said emitter has its polarization inverted to position positive poles of dipoles around said first electrode to draw primary electrons from said first electrode, and the primary electrons drawn from said first electrode impinge upon said emitter to cause the emitter to emit secondary electrons. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A light source for emitting light from an electron source by impingement of electrons upon a substance, wherein
said electron source comprises an electron emitter; - and
said electron emitter comprises an emitter of a dielectric material and a first electrode and a second electrode which are disposed on said emitter; said light source further comprising means for applying AC pulses between said first electrode and said second electrode to cause at least a portion of said emitter to have its polarization inverted or changed, wherein electrons are intermittently emitted from said emitter. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. A light source for emitting light from an electron source by impingement of electrons upon a substance, wherein
said electron source comprises a plurality of electron emitters arranged in a two-dimensional array; - and
said electron emitter comprises an emitter of a dielectric material and a first electrode and a second electrode which are disposed on said emitter; wherein when a drive voltage is applied between said first electrode and said second electrode, at least a portion of said emitter has its polarization inverted or changed to emit electrons; wherein said electron emitters are divided into two groups, further including means for retrieving electric power of the electron emitters in one of the groups with the electron emitters in the other group when the electron emitters in said one group emit light, and retrieving electric power of the electron emitters in said other group with the electron emitters in said one group when the electron emitters in said other group emit light.
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6. A light source for emitting light from an electron source by impingement of electrons upon a substance, wherein
said electron source comprises an electron emitter; - and
said electron emitter comprises an emitter of a dielectric material and a first electrode and a second electrode which are disposed on said emitter; wherein when a drive voltage is applied between said first electrode and said second electrode at least a portion of said emitter has its polarization inverted or changed to emit electrons; said light source further comprising means for modulating said drive voltage based on a control signal to control an amount of electrons emitted from said electron emitter for controlling emitted light.
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7. A light source for emitting light from an electron source by impingement of electrons a substance, comprising:
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at least two planar light source sections, each having a plurality of electron emitters arranged in a two-dimensional array, wherein each electron emitter comprises an emitter of a dielectric material and a first electrode and a second electrode which are disposed on said emitter; wherein when a drive voltage is applied between said first electrode and said second electrode at least a portion of said emitter has its polarization inverted or changed to emit electrons. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A light source for emitting light from an electron source by impingement of electrons upon a substance, wherein
said electron source comprises an electron emitter; - and
said electron emitter comprises an emitter of a dielectric material and a first electrode and a second electrode to which a drive voltage is applied for emitting electrons; said first electrode being disposed on a first surface of said emitter; said second electrode being disposed on a second surface of said emitter; at least said first electrode having a plurality of through regions through which said emitter is exposed; each of said through regions has a peripheral portion having a surface facing said emitter and spaced from said emitter. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification