A　new　kind　of　pressed　Y2O3　doped　Ba-W　dispenser　cathodes　are　prepared　by　a　sol-gel　method　combined　with　high　temperature　sintering　in　dry　hydrogen　atmosphere.　The　results　show　that　the　growth　of　the　grains　is　hampered　by　the　pinning　effect　of　Y2O3　distributing　uniformly　on　the　surfaces　of　tungsten　particles,　resulting　in　the　formation　of　small　grain　size.　It　is　found　that　Y2O3　improves　the　secondary　electron　emission　property,　i.e.,　the　secondary　emission　yield　increases　with　the　increase　of　Y2O3　content　in　the　samples.　The　maximum　secondary　emission　yield　δmax　of　the　cathode　with　15%　amount　of　Y2O3　can　reach　2.92.　Furthermore,　the　cathode　shows　a　certain　thermionic　emission　performance.　The　zero　field　emission　current　density　J0　of　4.18A/cm　has　reached　at　1050oCb　for　this　kind　of　cathode　after　being　activated　at　1200oCb,　which　are　much　higher　than　that　of　rare　earth　oxide　doped　molybdenum　(REO-Mo)　cathode　reported　in　the　previous　work.　©　2012　IEEE.