SBIR Phase I: Novel Thin Films Based High Efficiency Ferroelectric Cathode

SBIR一期项目开发基于铁电薄膜的低压铁电阴极技术，应用于加速器、高频器件、质谱仪等冷阴极仪器的冷阴极。铁电材料在快速极化反转时从其表面发射电子脉冲。使用具有厚铁电层的阴极获得了高电流密度（高达100 A/cm2），需要在3-5 kV范围内的激励电压。然而，人们希望开发出工作电压在几百伏范围内的铁电阴极，使它们更节能，更不容易受到高压引起的击穿。该研究计划的主要目标是开发低压、大电流、可靠的薄膜型铁电阴极。这将通过推进当前对材料要求和电极配置的理解来实现，以最大化电子发射电流。预计所提出的技术将为各种需要低功耗的应用提供高电流、低电压的铁电阴极。

This SBIR Phase I Project develop a low-voltage ferroelectric cathode technology based on ferroelectric films for application to cold cathodes for accelerators, high frequency devices, mass spectrometers and other instruments based on cold cathodes. Ferroelectric materials emit pulses of electrons from their surface during rapid polarization reversal. High current density (up to 100 A/cm2) has been obtained using cathodes with thick ferroelectric layers, requiring excitation voltages in the 3-5 kV range. However, it is desirable to develop ferroelectric cathodes which require operating voltages in the hundred's of volts range, to make them more energy efficient and less susceptible to high voltage-induced breakdown. The primary objective of the proposed research program will be the development of low-voltage, high-current, reliable, film-based ferroelectric cathodes. This will be accomplished by advancing the current understanding of the material requirements and electrode configuration to maximize the electron emission current. It is expected that the proposed technology will provide high current, low voltage ferroelectric cathodes for a variety of applications requiring lower power consumption.