SBIR Phase II: Investigation of Ferroelectric Materials with Properties Optimized for Electron Emission

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This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project was motivated by recent research demonstrating that ferroelectric cathodes using commercial ferroelectric materials that were optimized for transducer applications can produce current densities in excess of 30 Amperes per square centimeter at 500,000 Volts, and can sustain an emission pulse (at 50,000 Volts) for a time in excess of 2 microseconds. Under the Phase I project ferroelectric materials optimized for use as cathodes were fabricated and tested, and promising materials were identified for further testing and optimization. The objective of the Phase II project will be to demonstrate a ferroelectric material with emission characteristics and lifetime meeting industry-defined requirements for application as a cathode in a commercial electron tube. Phase II research willinclude cathode testing at 20,000 volts, 1 microsecond with hundreds of pulses per second, characterization of the electron beam produced by the ferroelectric cathode according to size, energy and emittance, and validation testing of the cathode at an electron tube manufacturer's facility under commercial operating conditions. It is anticipated that these tests will demonstrate the efficacy of the ferroelectric cathode materials developed under this project for use in commercial electron tubes.Cathodes are used in a wide variety of microwave tubes. Applications include radar, communications, radio and TV transmission, accelerators for medical, waste treatment, environmental and research applications.