A　novel　type　of　Ba-W　dispenser　cathodewas　fabricatedby　spray-drying　of　W　pellets,　pre-doped　with　nano-sized　scandia　(Sc2O3)　and　impregnated　in　Ba-and　Ca-aluminates.　The　impact　of　the　fabrication　conditions　on　the　microstructures　and　emission　properties　of　the　novel　dispenser　cathode　was　investigated　with　scanning　electron　microscopy.　The　tested　results　show　that　the　new　highly　porous,　Sc2O3-doped　cathode　outperforms　the　conventional　ones　fabricated　by　solid-liquid　reaction　and　sol-gel　techniques　because　of　its　better　performance　and　longer　lifetime.　To　be　specific,　at　950,　thespace　charge　limited　DC　current　density,　in　closely-spaced　diodes,　was　over　60　A/cm2,　after　temperature　compensation　for　electron　cooling;and　the　stable　DC　current　density　of　30　A/cm2at　950　had　lasted　for　longer　than　3000　h.　In　Pierce　electron-gun　tests,　initiated　at　58　A/cm2,　the　knee-point　temperature　was　900　and　the　cathode　worked　fairly　well　for　over　1000　h　with　a　pulsed　current　density　of　50　A/cm2.　©　2015,　Science　Press.　All　right　reserved.