Patent Grant
6882093
This application is based on Patent Application No. 2001-233241, filed in Japan, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a long-life electron tube device, an electron tube cathode, and a manufacturing method for the electron tube device.
2. Description of Related Art
After applying an electron-emissive material suspension whose main component is barium carbonate or the like as a precursor for barium oxide or the like on the base metal 920, an assembled cathode ray tube is subjected to a exhausting process in which the cathode is heated by the heater 940 to form an alkaline earth metal oxide from the suspension. The alkaline earth metal oxide is partially reduced so as to be activated to be semiconductive. Thus the emitter layer 930 is formed.
It is necessary for electron emission from an electron tube cathode to be stable over a long period of time in order to lengthen the life of the electron tube device. However, when the base metal 920 includes magnesium and the main component of the emitter layer 930 is barium oxide or the like, emission of electrons from the cathode is accompanied by formation of a composite oxide layer (hereinafter “intermediate layer”) composed of magnesium oxide or the like at the interface between the emitter layer 930 and the base metal 920. In addition to being highly resistant and therefore impeding the flow of current, this intermediate layer hinders diffusion of magnesium in the base metal 920 to the emitter layer 930, meaning that barium is not sufficiently produced in the emitter layer 930. This gives rise to a problem that emission characteristics that are stable over a long period of time cannot be obtained.
There are numerous studies in the prior art that attempt to solve the above-described problem by determining what kind of materials to use in the emitter layer 930. An example of such prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,131 which discloses a technique for adding 0.2 to 25 weight percent of europium oxide, ytterbium oxide, or lutetium oxide to the emitter layer.
However, development of an electron tube cathode with stable emission characteristics over an even longer period of time to lengthen the life of an electron tube apparatus is a perpetual problem.
The object of the present invention is to provide an electron tube device that has a longer life than a conventional electron tube device, an electron tube cathode that has stable emission characteristics over a long period of time, and a manufacturing method for the electron tube device.
The stated object is achieved by an electron tube device that includes an electron gun that includes a cathode that emits electrons, the cathode including: a base metal whose main component is nickel and that includes magnesium as a reducing agent; an emitter layer whose main component is barium oxide, and that includes a predetermined metal and/or metal oxide as a dopant; and a heater that heats the base metal and the emitter layer, wherein a ratio between (i) a number of moles of the magnesium, (ii) a number of moles of barium, and (iii) a number of moles of the predetermined metal and/or metal oxide is expressed as Y:1000:X, and when a value of Y and a value of X are expressed as XY coordinates in which the X coordinate is the value of X and the Y coordinate is the value of Y, the value of X and the value of Y are within a range defined by straight lines connecting points (0.7, 6), (0.8, 15), (3, 130), (3, 30), (2.5, 10), (2, 0.1), and (1, 0.1).
Studies undertaken by the inventor of the present invention make clear that the present invention lengthens the life of an electron tube device by approximately 20% compared to a conventional electron tube device.
These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a specific embodiment of the invention.
In the drawings:
The following describes embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings.
The inventor investigated ways of optimizing the reductive reaction between the reducing agent, such as magnesium, in the base metal 20 and the oxide of the alkaline earth metal in the emitter layer 30. She discovered that the reaction can be optimized to obtain stable emission characteristics over a long period of time by defining an appropriate ratio between the number of moles of the reducing agent in the base metal 20, the total number of moles of the barium oxide and the remaining barium carbonate (if any) (hereinafter “number of moles of barium”) in the emitter layer 30, and the number of moles of the dopant.
More specifically, when the ratio between the number of moles of the magnesium in the base metal 20, the number of moles of barium in the emitter layer 30, and the number of moles of the dopant in the emitter layer 30 is expressed as Y:1000:X, and the values of X and Y are expressed as XY coordinates in which the X coordinate is the value of X and the Y coordinate is the value of Y, the inventors discovered that stable emission characteristics could be obtained over a long period of time if the values of X and Y are in a range defined by straight lines connecting points (0.7, 6), (0.8, 15), (3, 130), (3,30), (2.5, 10), (2,0.1), and (1, 0.1). Note that although the number of moles of the magnesium may vary depending on the thickness of the metal plate used for the base metal 20, when thickness is within a range ordinarily used for the base metal 20 (approximately 80 to 150 μm) no substantial difference is found in characteristics if the number of moles is prescribed within the above-described range.
In
Compared to the lines F, G, and H, the line E shows high saturated emission current, and shows that stable emission characteristics are obtained over a long period of time. This is attributed to the metal (or metal oxide) dopant partially reacting with the reducing agent if the base metal 20 includes a reducing agent, resulting in the electric resistance of the emitter layer 30 being lowered, as well as promoting increased emission by forming a donor level.
The following describes the cathode manufacturing method of the present invention.
The mole ratio of the constituent ingredients of the cathode is specified to be within a range as described earlier. In other words, when the mole ratio of the magnesium included in the base metal 20, the barium included in the emitter layer 30, and the dopant included in the emitter layer 30 is expressed as Y:1000:X, and the value of Y and the value of X are expressed as XY coordinates in which the X coordinate is the X value and the Y coordinate is the Y value, the X and Y values are in a range defined by straight lines connecting points (0.7, 6), (0.8, 15), (3, 130), (3,30), (2.5, 10), (2,0.1), and (1, 0.1). The reason for this range is discussed later. The dopant may be CaO, Zr/ZrO, or Eu/Eu2O3, but is not limited to these, and may be any of various types of metals and/or metal oxides.
Next, the alkaline earth metal carbonates barium carbonate and strontium carbonate and a dopant (in the present embodiment calcium oxide) are mixed with an organic solvent composed of 85% diethyl carbonate and 15% nitric acid (volume ratio), to form a suspension for producing the emitter layer 30. Here, the mole ratio of the barium carbonate to the strontium carbonate is 1:1, or more preferably 1:1.02. The average diameter of the grains of both the alkaline earth metal carbonates and the dopant (calcium oxide in this embodiment) is 3 μm. Note that it is desirable that the temperature of the suspension be maintained at approximately 20° C. in order that the viscosity of the suspension remain constant, since a constant viscosity is the most important factor in stabilizing application characteristics.
Meanwhile, the base metal 20, which has nickel as the main component and includes a reducing agent such as magnesium, is heated using a heater or the like to 40±10° C. Next, the suspension having a temperature of approximately 20° C. is sprayed onto the base metal 20 that has been heated to 40±10° C., using a spray gun. Here, the pressure, the time and the number of sprays, are controlled so that the emitter layer 30 has a density of 0.60 to 0.75 g/cm3 and a thickness of 50 to 75 μm after drying. At this stage, the base metal 20 and the emitter layer 30 are inspected visually to confirm that the emitter layer 30 adheres satisfactorily to the base metal 20 (that there are no defects at the corners).
In a cathode manufactured for comparison purposes (hereinafter “comparison cathode”), the emitter layer 30 was made to have a density of 0.60 to 0.75 g/cm3 and a thickness of 50 to 75 μm, however the suspension that was sprayed on the base metal 20 was not heated to the temperature described above. The emitter layer 30 in the comparison cathode could be seen to be peeling from the base metal 20 at the corners. In contrast, when the base metal 20 heated to 40±10° C. as described above was used, the emitter layer 30 adhered strongly enough to the base metal 20 enough that almost no peeling at the corners could be seen.
Next, as described earlier, the assembled cathode ray tube is subjected to an exhausting process in which the cathode is heated by the heater 40 to form barium oxide from the barium carbonate. The barium oxide is partially reduced so as to be activated to be semiconductive. Thus the cathode of the present invention is manufactured.
The cathode manufacturing method of the present invention produces a cathode that shows satisfactory emission characteristics in practical use for forty thousand hours or longer. Specifically, a cathode can be manufactured that achieves a saturated current remaining ratio of 50% after 4000 life hours or higher or an emission remaining ratio of 40% or more after 4000 life hours in an accelerated life test. Note that the accelerated life test is conducted by elevating to 820° C. the temperature of a cathode whose rated temperature is 760° C.
Furthermore, by applying the suspension for forming the emitter layer 30 to the base metal 20 heated to 40±10° C., the adhesive strength of the emitter layer 30 can be increased. This enables manufacturing of a cathode that has favorable emission current density distribution, and also improved product yield in manufacturing.
In addition, by forming the emitter layer 30 so as to have a density of 0.60 to 0.75 g/cm3 and a thickness of 50 to 75 μm, the surface coarseness of the emitter layer 30, as expressed by the highest point of the surface (JIS specification JISB0601-1982), is leveled to approximately 10 to 15 μm. This enables manufacturing of a cathode that has even more favorable electron emission current density distribution, resulting in improved product yield in manufacturing.
The following describes examples of experiments that confirm the effects of the present invention.
A plurality of types of cathodes were manufactured with the structure shown in FIG. 2. In each of the cathodes, the emitter layer 30 had a thickness of approximately 65 μm and a density of approximately 0.6 g/cm3. Here, the number of moles of barium included in the emitter layer is expressed as 1000, the number of moles of calcium oxide, which is the metal oxide used as the dopant, is expressed as X, and the number of moles of magnesium included in the base metal 20 is expressed as Y. The X and Y values were varied between the cathodes. Each of the cathodes was integrated into a cathode ray tube for use in a 46 cm computer monitor, and a life test performed on the cathode. The results of the life tests are shown in
Evaluation of the life of the cathodes is expressed in terms of “saturated current remaining ratio” from which the quality of the performance of the cathode can easily be judged, and “emission remaining ratio” by which the quality of the life of the cathode when actually operating can be easily judged.
Note the accelerated life test, as described earlier, is conducted by elevating to 820° C. the temperature of a cathode whose rated temperature is 760° C., and a direct current of 300 μA is obtained from the cathode. It has been confirmed that a cathode that has a saturated current remaining ratio of 50% or higher after 4000 hours of life time or that has an emission remaining ratio of 40% or higher after 4000 hours of life time is able to operate satisfactorily for up to 40,000 hours in practical usage (here satisfactory operation denotes that a cathode has stable emission characteristics over a long period of time), hence the cathodes were evaluated on this basis.
Here, “saturated current remaining ratio” is the percentage of saturated emission for each elapsed life hour relative to an initial saturated emission of 100%. “Emission remaining ratio” is the percentage of emission slump for each elapsed life hour in relation to an initial emission slump of 100%. Note that the emission remaining ratio is evaluated in the following way. A voltage is applied to a grid electrode G1 and a grid electrode G2 in a triode unit of electron gun in the cathode ray tube that face the cathode, on initial operation and each 1000 hours thereafter. A cathode current a is measured at initial life, and a cathode current P is measured after every subsequent 1000 hours of life time, to find 100β/α. The resulting emission remaining ratio is used to judge the quality of each cathode according to the aforementioned basis for evaluation (40% or higher). Note that in order to judge the initial emission slump, the cathode current a is measured, and then a cathode current γ is measured five minutes later, to find 100γ/α which is considered to be the initial emission slump.
As is clear from
In
Note that in
Note that when the density exceeds 0.75 g/cm3, 5% or more of the total weight of emitter layer 30 drops off. This high rate means that such a cathode does not operate satisfactorily in practical use.
Note that when the emitter layer 30 is thinner than 45 μm, the saturated current remaining ratio after 4000 hours of life time falls below 50%, meaning that such a cathode does not operate satisfactorily in practical use. Furthermore, when the emitter layer 30 is thicker than 80 μm, it does not adhere strongly to the base metal 20, meaning that grains easily drop off the emitter layer 30 if the cathode is subjected to impact.
In order to both lengthen the life of the emitter layer 30 and prevent grains dropping off the emitter layer 30, it is preferable that the thickness of the emitter layer 30 is in a range of at least 50 μm and no more than 75 μm.
Lastly, a description is given of examples of when europium/europium oxide and zirconium/zirconium oxide are used as dopant.
As shown in
Furthermore, as shown in
Note that a single metal or metal oxide may be used as the dopant, or both metal and metal oxide may be used.
Although the present invention has been fully described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, unless such changes and modifications depart from the scope of the present invention, they should be construed as being included therein.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-233241 | Aug 2001 | JP | national |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2895854 | LaRocque | Jul 1959 | A |
| 20020074921 | Gaertner et al. | Jun 2002 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 0 841 676 | May 1998 | EP |
| 1 039 503 | Sep 2000 | EP |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20030025430 A1 | Feb 2003 | US |
