Field emission device with microchannel gain element

This invention relates to field emission devices and more particularly a field emission device utilizing a microchannel gain element to multiply electron emission. A field emission device with a micro-channel gain element included a plurality of field emission or "cold" cathodes () formed into an array. The cold cathodes are typically modulated by a grid () having a driving voltage. A microchannel gain element () is secondary electron emissive material within each of the channels. The channels correspond number and location to the cathode and enable multiplication of electron emitted by the cathodes. Multiplication of the electrons enables the cathodes to be driven at a lower current of emitted electrons than normally applied, absent the microchannel, to obtain the same resulting beam. The beam existing each of the micro-channels is directed to an anode (), which can include a phosphor () for use in a flat panel display. Alternatively, anode can include a semiconductor substrate having a reactive resist, and an electrostatic lens structure can be employed to focus the beams to produce a mask pattern on the substrate according to a predetermined mask pattern.