1. A reactor cover in an apparatus for generating hydrogen by dissociating an electrolyte solution, the reactor cover comprising:
a circuit board; and
a control unit coupled to the circuit board and configured to regulate a reaction for generating the hydrogen,
wherein the circuit board comprises
a base panel;
a circuit pattern buried in the base panel; and
an electrode pad formed on one side of the base panel in electrical connection with the circuit pattern, and
the circuit board is a printed circuit board (PCB) or a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) substrate, the base panel of the PCB including a polymer and the base panel of the LTCC substrate including a ceramic, and
the control unit is coupled to the other side of the base panel in electrical connection with the circuit pattern.
2. The reactor cover of claim 1, wherein a securing indentation is formed in the other side of the base panel, and the control unit is inserted in the securing indentation.
3. The reactor cover of claim 2, wherein a thickness of the control unit is less than or equal to a depth of the securing indentation.
4. The reactor cover of claim 1, wherein at least one electrode indentation is formed in one side of the base panel, and the electrode pad is formed in the electrode indentation.
5. The reactor cover of claim 1, wherein a gold (Au) layer is formed on one surface of the electrode pad.
6. The reactor cover of claim 1, wherein the electrode pad is a socket configured to secure a conductive body to the base panel.
7. The reactor cover of claim 1, further comprising:
a waterproof layer formed on one side of the base panel such that the electrode pad is exposed, the waterproof layer configured to prevent the electrolyte solution from penetrating into the base panel.
8. A hydrogen generating apparatus for generating hydrogen by dissociating an electrolyte solution, the hydrogen generating apparatus comprising:
a circuit board;
a control unit coupled to the circuit board and configured to regulate a reaction for generating the hydrogen;
an anode coupled to the circuit board and configured to generate electrons;
a cathode coupled to circuit board and configured to receive the electrons from the anode to generate hydrogen; and
a reactor having an opening formed therein and coupled with the circuit board such that the anode and the cathode are held within the reactor,
wherein the circuit board comprises
a base panel;
a circuit pattern buried in the base panel;
electrode pads formed on one side of the base panel in electrical connection with the circuit pattern,
the circuit board is a printed circuit board (PCB) or a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) substrate, the base panel of the PCB including a polymer and the base panel of the LTCC substrate including a ceramic,
the control unit is coupled to the other side of the base panel in electrical connection with the circuit pattern,
the anode is coupled to at least one of the electrode pads,
the cathode is coupled to at least one of the others of the electrode pads, and
the reactor is coupled with the base panel.
9. The hydrogen generating apparatus of claim 8, wherein a securing indentation is formed in the other side of the base panel, and the control unit is inserted in the securing indentation.
10. The hydrogen generating apparatus of claim 9, wherein a thickness of the control unit is less than or equal to a depth of the securing indentation.
11. The hydrogen generating apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least one electrode indentation is formed in one side of the base panel, and the electrode pads are formed in the electrode indentation.
12. The hydrogen generating apparatus of claim 8, wherein a gold (Au) layer is formed on at least one of one end of each of the anode and the cathode and one surface of at least one of the electrode pads.
13. The hydrogen generating apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least one of the electrode pad is a socket configured to secure the anode and the cathode to the base panel.
14. The hydrogen generating apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:
a waterproof layer formed on one side of the base panel such that the electrode pads are exposed, the waterproof layer configured to prevent the electrolyte solution from penetrating into the base panel.
15. A fuel cell power generation system for producing electrical energy using hydrogen generated by dissociating an electrolyte solution, the fuel cell power generation system comprising:
a circuit board;
a control unit coupled to the circuit board and configured to regulate a reaction for generating the hydrogen;
an anode coupled to the circuit board and configured to generate electrons;
a cathode coupled to circuit board and configured to receive the electrons from the anode to generate hydrogen;
a reactor having an opening formed therein and coupled with the circuit board such that the anode and the cathode are held within the reactor; and
a fuel cell configured to convert chemical energy of the hydrogen generated at the cathode to the electrical energy,
wherein the circuit board comprises
a base panel;
a circuit pattern buried in the base panel; and
electrode pads formed on one side of the base panel in electrical connection with the circuit pattern,
the circuit board is a printed circuit board (PCB) or a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) substrate, the base panel of the PCB including a polymer and the base panel of the LTCC substrate including a ceramic,
the control unit is coupled to the other side of the base panel in electrical connection with the circuit pattern,
the anode is coupled to at least one of the electrode pads,
the cathode is coupled to at least one of the others of the electrode pads, and
the reactor is coupled with the base panel.
16. The fuel cell power generation system of claim 15, wherein a securing indentation is formed in the other side of the base panel, and the control unit is inserted in the securing indentation.
17. The fuel cell power generation system of claim 16, wherein a thickness of the control unit is less than or equal to a depth of the securing indentation.
18. The fuel cell power generation system of claim 15, wherein at least one electrode indentation is formed in one side of the base panel, and the electrode pads are formed in the electrode indentation.
19. The fuel cell power generation system of claim 15, wherein a gold (Au) layer is formed on at least one of one end of each of the anode and the cathode and one surface of at least one of the electrode pads.
20. The fuel cell power generation system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the electrode pads is a socket configured to secure the anode and the cathode to the base panel.
21. The fuel cell power generation system of claim 15, further comprising:
a waterproof layer formed on one side of the base panel such that the electrode pads are exposed, the waterproof layer configured to prevent the electrolyte solution from penetrating into the base panel.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-28. (cancelled):
29. An emitter, comprising:
a substrate;
an insulating layer disposed on the substrate and defining an opening for an electron source from the substrate;
an anisotropic conductivity layer disposed continuously on the insulating layer and the electron source, said anisotropic conductivity layer having an anisotropic sheet resistivity profile;
an emission layer disposed on the anisotropic conductivity layer; and
a cathode layer disposed on the emission layer.
30. The emitter of claim 29 wherein the emission layer comprises a tunneling electron layer.
31. The emitter of claim 29 wherein the emission layer comprises an array of field emitters.
32. The emitter of claim 29 further comprising an electronic lens structure formed on the cathode layer.
33-38. (Cancelled).
39. An emitter, comprising:
a substrate;
an insulator layer formed on the substrate and having a first opening defined within;
a continuous anisotropic conductivity layer having an anisotropic sheet conductivity profile disposed over the insulator layer and first opening and contacting the substrate;
a tunneling layer formed on the anisotropic conductivity layer; and
a cathode layer disposed on the tunneling layer wherein a portion of the cathode layer on the tunneling layer is an electron-emitting surface.
40. The emitter of claim 39 wherein the anisotropic conductivity layer has conductivity about 2 to about 10 times greater in the thickness of the anisotropic conductivity layer than in the plane of the anisotropic conductivity layer.
41. The emitter of claim 39 wherein the anisotropic conductivity layer is a polysilicon layer that is formed of a self assembled array of emission centers with a serial resistance connected to each single emission center.
42. The emitter of claim 39 wherein the anisotropic conductivity layer is an artificially created conductivity channel array of emission centers with a serial resistance connected to each single emission center.
43. The emitter of claim 42 wherein the emission center is a pn junction diode.
44. The emitter of claim 42 wherein the emission center is a patterned resistive channel.
45. The emitter of claim 42 wherein the emission center is a patterned or structured epitaxial semiconductor having a higher conductivity than the serial resistance.
46. The emitter of claim 39 having an efficiency of greater than about two percent.
47. The emitter of claim 39 having an efficiency of greater than about 10 percent.
48. The emitter of claim 39 capable of a stabilized emission of greater than two Ampscm2.
49. The emitter of claim 39 capable of a stabilized emission of greater than 8 Ampscm2.
50. The emitter of claim 39 wherein the rate of emission of electrons is substantially uniform over the electron emitting surface.
51-60. (Cancelled).