Patent ID: 8022608

Claim:
An electron-emitting device comprising: a first conductive film and a second conductive film disposed on a substrate, an end portion of the first conductive film facing an end portion of the second conductive film with an interval therebetween, wherein electrons are emitted when a voltage is applied between the first conductive film and the second conductive film such that a potential of the second conductive film is higher than a potential of the first conductive film, wherein the end portion of the second conductive film includes a first portion, a second portion and a third portion, and the first portion is located between the second and third portions, wherein a thickness of the second conductive film at the first portion is less than a thickness of the second conductive film at the second and third portions, wherein a thickness of the end portion of the first conductive film facing the first portion is less than the thickness of the second conductive film at the second and the third portions, wherein the thickness of the end portion of the first conductive film facing the first portion is equal to or greater than the thickness of the first portion of the second conductive film, wherein the first conductive film further has a fourth portion and a fifth portion, wherein the end portion facing the first portion is arranged between the fourth and fifth portions, and wherein a distance between the end portion of the first conductive film facing the first portion and the second conductive film is smaller than distances between the fourth and fifth portions and the second conductive film, wherein differences between the thickness of the second conductive film at the first portion and the thickness of the second conductive film at the second and the third portions are set equal to or greater than 2 d and equal to or less than 200 d, where d denotes a distance between the first portion and the end portion of the first conductive film facing the first portion, wherein a distance between the second portion and the third portion is set equal to or greater than 2 d and equal to or smaller than 50 d, where d denotes a distance between the first portion and the end portion of the first conductive film facing the first portion, wherein lengths of the second conductive film at the second and third portions, in a direction parallel to a direction in which the first portion and the end portion of the first conductive film oppose each other, are equal to or less than 200 d, where d denotes a distance between the first portion and the end portion of the first conductive film facing the first portion, wherein a distance between the first portion and the end portion of the first conductive film facing the first portion is equal to or greater than 1 nm and equal to or less than 10 nm.