Patent ID: 9685295
Date: 2017-06-20
CPC Classifications: B82Y,G01Q,H01J

Claim:
1. An electron emission device comprising: a substrate having a receiving surface; a thin film comprising a pyroelectric material provided on at least a portion of said receiving surface or provided on one or more intermediate structures supported by said receiving surface; wherein said thin film comprises a crystalline material, has a thickness from 0.1 nm to 10 μm, has a first side facing said receiving surface and a second side opposite to said first side and said second side of said thin film comprises one or more probe tip relief features wherein each probe tip relief feature terminates at a distal end having lateral cross sectional dimensions greater than zero and less than or equal to 250 nm; and an actuator operationally coupled to said thin film for selectively modulating an applied electric field in said thin film so as to generate electron emission from an external surface of said thin film; wherein said actuator comprises an extraction electrode positioned sufficiently close to said second side of said thin film so as to establish a selected applied electric field on a surface of said thin film so as to modulate said electron emission from said external surface of said thin film.