Abstract: A lower electrode (2) and surface electrode (7) composed of a layer-structured conductive carbide layer is formed on one principal surface side of the substrate (1) composed of an insulative substrate such as a glass or ceramic substrate. A non-doped polycrystalline silicon layer (3) is formed on the lower electrode (2). An electron transit layer (6) composed of an oxidized porous polycrystalline silicon is formed on the polycrystalline silicon layer (3). The electron transit layer (6) is composed of a composite nanocrystal layer including polycrystalline silicon and many nanocrystalline silicons residing adjacent to a grain boundary of the polycrystalline silicon. When voltage is applied between the lower electrode (2) and the surface electrode (7) such that the surface electrode (7) has a higher potential, electrons are injected from the lower electrode (2) toward the surface electrode (7), and emitted through the surface electrode (7) through the electron transit layer (6).

Abstract: In a field emission-type electron source (10), lower electrodes (8) made of an electroconductive layer, a strong field drift layer (6) including drift portions (6a) made of an oxidized or nitrided porous semiconductor, and surface electrodes (7) made of a metal layer are provided on an upper side of a dielectric substrate (11) made of glass. When voltage is applied to cause the surface electrodes (7) to be anodic with respect to the lower electrodes (8), electrons injected from the lower electrodes (8) to the strong field drift layer (6) are led to drift through the strong field drift layer (6) and are emitted outside through the surface electrodes (7). A pn-junction semiconductor layer composed of an n-layer (21) and a p-layer (22) is provided between the lower electrode (8) and the strong field drift layer (6) to prevent a leakage current from flowing to the surface electrode (7) from the lower electrode (8), thereby reducing amount of power consumption.

Abstract: An electron source (10) is provided with an n-type silicon substrate (1) as a conductive substrate, a drift layer (6) composed of oxidized porous polycrystalline silicon which is formed on the main surface of the silicon substrate (1), and a surface electrode (7) as a conductive thin film formed on the drift layer (6). The process for, forming the surface electrode (7) includes the steps of forming a first layer composed of Cr on the drift layer (6), forming a second layer composed of Au on the first layer, and alloying the two layers. The surface electrode (7) has higher adhesion for the drift layer 6 and/or stability for the lapse of time. In addition, the surface electrode (7) has lower density of states in an energy region near energy of emitted electrons, in comparison with the simple substance of Cr. In the surface electrode (7), scattering of the electrons is less so that electron emitting efficiency is higher.

Abstract: In a field emission-type electron source (10), a strong field drift layer (6) and a surface electrode (7) consisting of a gold thin film are provided on an n-type silicon substrate (1). An ohmic electrode (2) is provided on the back surface of the n-type silicon substrate (1). A direct current voltage is applied so that the surface electrode (7) becomes positive in potential relevant to the ohmic electrode (2). In this manner, electrons injected from the ohmic electrode (2) into the strong field drift layer (6) via the n-type silicon substrate (6) drift in the strong field drift layer (6), and is emitted to the outside via the surface electrode (7).

Abstract: An electron source (10) has an electron source element (10a) including a lower electrode (12), a drift layer (6) and a surface electrode (7). The drift layer (6) is interposed between the lower electrode (12) and the surface electrode (7). When a certain voltage is applied between the surface electrode (7) and the lower electrode (12) such that the surface electrode (7) has a higher potential than that of the lower electrode (12), a resultingly induced electric field allows electrons to pass through the drift layer (6) and then the electrons are emitted through the surface electrode (7). When a forward-bias voltage is applied between the surface electrode (7) and the lower electrode (12), a reverse-bias voltage is applied after the forward-bias voltage has been applied to release out of the drift layer (6) an electron captured by a trap (9) in the drift layer (6).

Abstract: A lower electrode (2) and surface electrode (7) composed of a layer-structured conductive carbide layer is formed on one principal surface side of the substrate (1) composed of an insulative substrate such as a glass or ceramic substrate. A non-doped polycrystalline silicon layer (3) is formed on the lower electrode (2), An electron transit layer (6) composed of an oxidized porous polycrystalline silicon is formed on the polycrystalline silicon layer (3). The electron transit layer (6) is composed of a composite nanocrystal layer including polycrystalline silicon and many nanocrystalline silicons residing adjacent to a grain boundary of the polycrystalline silicon. When voltage is applied between the lower electrode (2) and the surface electrode (7) such that the surface electrode (7) has a higher potential, electrons are injected from the lower electrode (2) toward the surface electrode (7), and emitted through the surface electrode (7) through the electron transit layer (6).

Abstract: In a field emission-type electron source (10), lower electrodes (8) made of an electroconductive layer, a strong field drift layer (6) including drift portions (6a) made of an oxidized or nitrided porous semiconductor, and surface electrodes (7) made of a metal layer are provided on an upper side of a dielectric substrate (11) made of glass. When voltage is applied to cause the surface electrodes (7) to be anodic with respect to the lower electrodes (8), electrons injected from the lower electrodes (8) to the strong field drift layer (6) are led to drift through the strong field drift layer (6) and are emitted outside through the surface electrodes (7). A pn-junction semiconductor layer composed of an n-layer (21) and a p-layer (22) is provided between the lower electrode (8) and the strong field drift layer (6) to prevent a leakage current from flowing to the surface electrode (7) from the lower electrode (8), thereby reducing amount of power consumption.

Abstract: An electron source 10 has an n-type silicon substrate 1, a drift layer 6 formed on one surface of the substrate 1, and a surface electrode 7 formed on the drift layer 6. A voltage is applied so that the surface electrode 7 becomes positive in polarity relevant to the substrate 1, whereby electrons injected from the substrate 1 into the drift layer 6 drift within the drift layer 6, and are emitted through the surface electrode 7. In a process for manufacturing this electron source 10, when the drift layer 6 is formed, a porous semiconductor layer containing a semiconductor nanocrystal is formed in accordance with anodic oxidation. Then, an insulating film is formed on the surface of each semiconductor nanocrystal. Anodic oxidation is carried out while emitting light that essentially contains a wavelength in a visible light region relevant to the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A field emission-type electron source (10) is provided with a conductive substrate (1), a semiconductor layer formed on a surface of the conductive substrate (1), at least a part of the semiconductor layer being made porous, and a conductive thin film (7) formed on the semiconductor layer. Electrons injected into the conductive substrate (1) are emitted from the conductive thin film (7) through the semiconductor layer by applying a voltage between the conductive thin film (7) and the conductive substrate (1) in such a manner that the conductive thin film (7) acts as a positive electrode against the conductive substrate (1). The semiconductor layer includes a porous semiconductor layer (6) in which columnar structures (21) and porous structures (25) composed of fine semiconductor crystals of nanometer scale coexist, a surface of each of the structures being covered with an insulating film (22,24).

Abstract: A field emission type electron source 10 is provided with an n-type silicon substrate 1, a strong field drift layer 6 formed on the n-type silicon substrate 1 directly or inserting a polycrystalline silicon layer 3 therebetween, and an electrically conductive thin film 7, which is a thin gold film, formed on the strong field drift layer 6. Further, an ohmic electrode 2 is provided on the back surface of the n-type silicon substrate 1. Hereupon, electrons, which are injected from the n-type silicon substrate 1 into the strong field drift layer 6, drift in the strong field drift layer 6 toward the surface of the layer, and then pass through the electrically conductive thin film 7 to be emitted outward. The strong field drift layer 6 is formed by making the polycrystalline silicon 3 formed on the n-type silicon substrate 1 porous by means of an anodic oxidation, and further oxidizing it using dilute nitric acid or the like.

Abstract: An infrared sensor is formed with a first infrared detecting element for infrared detection disposed in a container through a supporting substrate, and a second infrared detecting element for temperature compensation also disposed in the container to be shielded by the supporting substrate of the first infrared detecting element from incident infrared within the container, while a temperature sensing section of the first infrared detecting element is born in non-contacting state with respect to a supporting part of the substrate for the element, whereby the sensitivity can be remarkably improved with a simpler arrangement while keeping a high precision and inexpensiveness.

Abstract: An electrochemical gas sensor includes, as disposed on an insulating substrate, a plurality of electrodes for individually sensing a standard gas present in a surrounding atmosphere at a fixed concentration and a target gas present in the surrounding atmosphere, and a signal processing circuit for determining sensor life on the basis of sensed outputs of the standard gas. Constant detection of the sensitivity characteristics of the gas sensor is thereby attained for self-examination of the life thereof.

Abstract: An electrochemical gas sensor comprises an insulating substrate, active and counter electrodes disposed on a surface of the insulating substrate mutually spaced to have respectively reactive portions, a reference electrode spaced from the active and counter electrodes and having a reactive portion, and a solid electrolyte layer formed to cover the reactive portions of the active, counter and reference electrodes, whereby the sensitivity to gases of the active electrode is improved and stabilized.