Patent ID: 6963160

Claim:
An apparatus for emitting electrons, comprising: (a) a contiguous emission layer incorporating a plurality of protruding emitter tips, the emission layer formed from a mold, wherein the emission layer and the plurality of emitter tips are composed of a material having electron emitting properties; (b) a selected portion of a first dielectric layer contacting the emission layer between the emitter tips, each emitter tip being contiguous with an opening in the first dielectric layer, the opening in the first dielectric layer being larger than a base of the protruding emitter tips; (c) a dielectric support layer contacting the selected portion of the first dielectric layer, the opening in the first dielectric layer being contiguous with an opening in the dielectric support layer, the opening in the dielectric support layer defining a conical shape with sides defined by an inner surface of the dielectric support layer, the conical shape having an aperture at a vertex, the aperture being smaller than the base of respective protruding emitter tips, the opening in the dielectric support layer having a size; and (d) a gate layer contacting the dielectric support layer, the opening in the dielectric support layer being contiguous with an opening in the gate layer, the opening in the gate layer having a size, wherein the size of the opening in the gate layer is equal to or greater than the size of the opening in the dielectric support layer.