To obtain excellent emission characteristics for scandate cathodes, sc
andium atoms should be supplied at the cathode surface to make a monol
ayer with barium and oxygen. In conventional scandate cathodes coated
with a thin film that includes scandium oxide, the scandium oxide must
be reduced by chemical reactions that generate free-Sc to supply scan
dium atoms at the surface. The temperature for cathode activation and
the emission recovery from degraded emission due to ion bombardment in
CRT depend on the supply speed of scandium atoms. To supply scandium
to the surface without chemical reactions usually needed, we fabricate
d a scandium metal layer as part of the thin film. The activation temp
erature of the new cathode is around 950 degrees Cb. The electron emis
sion after ion bombardment tends to recover at 1000 degrees Cb. Both t
he temperatures are 100-150 degrees Cb lower than those for convention
al scandate cathodes.