| CPC H01J 9/025 (2013.01) | 29 Claims |

|
1. A method of forming a field emission cathode, comprising:
mixing a plurality of carbon nanotubes and a solution at a particular ratio to form a base mixture, the solution comprising a water stable conducting polymer in a liquid medium;
exposing the base mixture to a first ultrasonic dispersion process;
introducing a metal oxide sol solution to the base mixture to form a field emission material precursor;
exposing the field emission material precursor to a second ultrasonic dispersion process to form a stable solution of the field emission material precursor;
introducing a polar additive into the stable solution of the field emission material precursor to form a final sol solution as a final field emission material precursor;
depositing a layer of the final field emission material precursor on at least a portion of a substrate;
drying the layer of the final field emission material precursor and the substrate such that the layer of the final field emission material precursor forms a uniform gel layer on the substrate;
annealing the gel layer and the substrate such that the gel layer forms a field emission material; and
activating the field emission material to form the field emission cathode.
|