Abstract: An electron-emitting device having favorable electron emitting characteristic stable for a long time, which is manufactured by a method comprising the steps of disposing an electrically conductive member having a second gap on a substrate, and applying a voltage to the electrically conductive member while irradiating at least the second gap with an electron beam from electron emitting means disposed apart from the electrically conductive member in an atmosphere comprising a carbon compound.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a precursor to an electron-emitting device includes the steps of preparing an electron-emitting member, and alternately exposing the electron-emitting member to an oxygen-containing gas and a metal-containing gas.

Abstract: By applying a drive voltage Vf [V] between first and second conductive films, when electrons are emitted by the first conductive film, an equipotential line of 0.5 Vf [V] is inclined toward the first conductive film, rather than toward the second conductive film, in the vicinity of the electron emitting portion of the first conductive film, in a cross section extending across the electron emitting portion and the portion of the second conductive film located nearest the electron emitting portion. The present invention improves electron emission efficiency.

Abstract: In a process of reducing a resistivity of a polymer film for carbonization in a surface conduction electron-emitting device, by irradiating an energy beam onto the polymer film, when an energy intensity of the beam given in a unit area in a unit time is assumed to be W W/m2, W satisfies a formula W?2×T×(?sub·Csub·?sub/?)1/2, where T is defined as a temperature ° C. at which the polymer film is heated for one hour in a vacuum degree of 1×10?4 Pa to reduce a resistivity of the polymer film to 0.1 ?·cm, Csub is a specific heat J/kg·K of the substrate, ?sub is a specific gravity kg/m3 of the substrate, ?sub is a heat conductivity W/m·K of the substrate, and ? is an irradiation time in the range of 10?9 sec to 10 sec.

Abstract: An electron-emitting device having favorable electron emitting characteristic stable for a long time, which is manufactured by a method comprising the steps of disposing an electrically conductive member having a second gap on a substrate, and applying a voltage to the electrically conductive member while irradiating at least the second gap with an electron beam from electron emitting means disposed apart from the electrically conductive member in an atmosphere comprising a carbon compound.

Abstract: In a process of reducing a resistivity of a polymer film for carbonization in a surface conduction electron-emitting device, by irradiating an energy beam onto the polymer film, when an energy intensity of the beam given in a unit area in a unit time is assumed to be W W/m2, W satisfies a formula W?2×T×(?sub·Csub·?sub/?)1/2, where T is defined as a temperature ° C. at which the polymer film is heated for one hour in a vacuum degree of 1×10?4 Pa to reduce a resistivity of the polymer film to 0.1 ?·cm, Csub is a specific heat J/kg·K of the substrate, ?sub is a specific gravity kg/m3 of the substrate, ?sub is a heat conductivity W/m·K of the substrate, and ? is an irradiation time in the range of 10?9 sec to 10 sec.

Abstract: To provide a method for manufacturing an electron source having electron-emitting devices with excellent electron-emitting property arranged on a substrate and enabling an image-forming apparatus capable of displaying an image with high brightness and uniformity to be enhanced in terms of screen size and production scale. The method for manufacturing the electron source includes a step of disposing a plurality of units and a plurality of wirings connected to the plurality of units on a substrate, each unit including a polymer film and a pair of electrodes with the polymer film interposed therebetween, and a step of forming electron-emitting devices from the plurality of units by repeatedly performing a process including a selecting substep of selecting a desired number of units from the plurality of units, a resistance-reducing substep of reducing resistance of the polymer films of the selected units and a gap-forming substep of forming a gap in each of the films formed by the resistance-reducing substep.

Abstract: An electron-emitting device having favorable electron emitting characteristic stable for a long time, which is manufactured by a method comprising the steps of disposing an electrically conductive member having a second gap on a substrate, and applying a voltage to the electrically conductive member while irradiating at least the second gap with an electron beam from electron emitting means disposed apart from the electrically conductive member in an atmosphere comprising a carbon compound.

Abstract: In a process of reducing a resistivity of a polymer film for carbonization in a surface conduction electron-emitting device, by irradiating an energy beam onto the polymer film, when an energy intensity of the beam given in a unit area in a unit time is assumed to be W W/m2, W satisfies a formula W≧2×T×(&rgr;sub·Csub·&lgr;sub/T)1/2, where T is defined as a temperature ° C. at which the polymer film is heated for one hour in a vacuum degree of 1×10−4 Pa to reduce a resistivity of the polymer film to 0.1 &OHgr;·cm, Csub is a specific heat J/kg·K of the substrate, &rgr;sub is a specific gravity kg/m3 of the substrate, &lgr;sub is a heat conductivity W/m·K of the substrate, and T is an irradiation time in the range of 10−9 sec to 10 sec.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electron-emitting device is provided in which steps can be simplified and which enables and improvement of electron-emitting characteristics. This manufacturing method comprises the steps of: providing substrate on which a pair of electrodes and a polymer film of connecting the pair of electrodes are arranged, wherein the polymer film contains a polymer and a substance with a characteristic of light absorption; irradiating light to the polymer film, to lower resistance of the polymer film; and forming a gap in a film obtained by lowering the resistance of the polymer film.

Abstract: To provide a method for manufacturing an electron source having electron-emitting devices with excellent electron-emitting property arranged on a substrate and enabling an image-forming apparatus capable of displaying an image with high brightness and uniformity to be enhanced in terms of screen size and production scale. The method for manufacturing the electron source includes a step of disposing a plurality of units and a plurality of wirings connected to the plurality of units on a substrate, each unit including a polymer film and a pair of electrodes with the polymer film interposed therebetween, and a step of forming electron-emitting devices from the plurality of units by repeatedly performing a process including a selecting substep of selecting a desired number of units from the plurality of units, a resistance-reducing substep of reducing resistance of the polymer films of the selected units and a gap-forming substep of forming a gap in each of the films formed by the resistance-reducing substep.