Impregnated Dispenser M-type Cathodes for MW Tubes—An Overview

The paper reviews modern electron emitters such as tungsten-base dispenser cathodes with emphasis on factors that contribute to their performance. The overview includes a brief history of the evolution of modern dispenser cathode, fabrication techniques and their influence on cathode performance. State-of-art performance characteristics for various dispenser cathodes have been compared. Some futuristic cathodes including field emitter arrays have also been touched upon. This article is of interest and use for MW Tube engineers/technologists.