Very Compact Cathode Ray tubes Using Diamond P-N Junction Cold Cathode

Very compact cathode ray tubes could be fabricated if high voltages presently required for normal operation could be reduced by a factor of ten. This requires a very effective cold cathode. A cold cathode capable of delivering several hundred amps per square centimeter (under ambient conditions without the introductin of cesium vapor) would be valuable for a number of applications in high power high frequency electronics. One of the most highly sought applications is that of cathode ray tube visual displays. Decreased voltage requirements would simplify the power supply requirements and allow a shorter CRT to be manufactured. This is of obvious utility of aerospace applications and could also be very attractive for consumer video displays as well. A method is described herein for manufacturing a cold cathode device using p-type diamond in direct contact with highly doped n-type silicon. Unlike other schemes for using diamonds as a cathode material, there is no need to manufacture n-type diamond.