Stanford Materials Corporation (SMC) products

The cerium hexaboride (CeB6) cathode has the advantage of high current emission density, the unique properties of cerium hexaboride crystals provide a stable electron-emitting medium with a work function of less than 2.6 eV. The low work function produces a higher current at lower cathode temperatures, which means higher brightness or current in the beam, and longer CeB6 cathode life. Compared to the LaB6 cathodes, CeB6 cathodes have a lower evaporation rate and lower influence on current density in the O2 atmosphere.