Dispenser cathodes of type M (Os-Ru coated) have been fabricated in the laboratory and tested for their emission characteristics in a sealed glass bulb in a closely spaced diode configuration. It is observed that the pulsed emission current in the temperature limited region decreased with time during the first few hours of operation and later stabilized at a constant value. This initial fall of emission current is attributed to the back bombardment of barium atoms from the anode resulting in an increase in the effective work function of the cathode surface. The decrease in emission current with time was found to follow a t(1/2) relation. It was also observed that when the anode was baked at about 800 degreesC(B) for a few minutes the original emission current was restored, thus suggesting that the barium evaporated on the anode was responsible for such a behavior. A theoretical model has been suggested for estimation of barium evaporation rate from the above time dependent emission phenomenon observed. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.