Patent ID: 7750779

Claim:
A method for controlling field emissions, said method comprising the steps of: associating a first field emission structure with a first object, said first field emission structure comprising: a first plurality of first field emission sources; and one or more second field emission sources; associating a second field emission structure with a second object, said second field emission structure comprising: a second plurality of first field emission sources, said first plurality of first field sources and said second plurality of first field sources producing an attractive force having a first engagement distance; and one or more third field emission sources, said one or more second field emission sources and said one or more third field emission sources producing a repelling force having a second engagement distance; and aligning said first field emission structure with said second field emission structure to achieve an equilibrium between said attractive force and said repelling force, wherein said equilibrium occurs at a separation distance between said first field emission structure and said second field emission structure that is less than said first engagement distance.