Dispenser cathode with porous sintered compacted metal dispenser body containing chromium oxide

A dispenser cathode including a dispenser body formed of a metal matrix and an emission surface formed of emission material impregnated into the dispenser body metal matrix. The metal matrix is a porous sintered metal matrix containing at least one metal frown a first group (W, Mo, Cr) and at least one metal of a second group (Fe, Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Re, Os, Ir, Pt) and chromium oxide. The chromium oxide and the metals from the two groups are provided as a powder mixture to form the matrix. The emission material includes at least two alkaline earth metal oxides such as CaO, BaO and at least one oxide of a metal of group IIIa or IIIb of the Periodic Table. The oxide of a metal group is Al2O3.