Patent ID: 8070906

Claim:
A process for improving the field emission of an electron field emitter that is comprised of an acicular emitting substance, comprising: (a) attaching particles of an acicular emitting substance to a substrate to form the electron field emitter; (b) contacting a material with the electron field emitter, wherein (i) the material forms an adhesive contact with the electron field emitter, and the adhesive contact provides sufficient adhesive force when the material is separated from the electron field emitter so that a portion of the electron field emitter is removed or rearranged, thereby forming a new surface of the electron field emitter; and (ii) the material (A) is applied in liquid form and is heated, (B) is applied in solid form as a film or coating, (C) is applied in liquid form as a coating, (D) comprises a thermally softened polymer film that comprises one or more of monomers, tackifiers and plasticizers; or (E) comprises a polymer solution, a polymer melt, or a liquid pre-polymer of a thermal- or ultraviolet-curable polymer; and (c) separating the material from the electron field emitter.