Abstract: A field effect emission device (100) for a visual display has a ceramic substrate (1). On an emission side (2) of the substrate, it has an emission layer (3) including a lattice of conductive emitter and gates line stripes (4, 5). For electrical connection to the emitter and gate stripes, the substrate has apertures (16), into which the strip material—or other conductive material—extends as vias (17). The device substrate is made up of several substrate layers 11, 12, 13, 14 bonded together. Each layer piece has connection strips (19) set into its opposite surfaces and intereonnecting vias (20), of the same material as the strips. The connection strips of adjacent layers about or at least vias of one layer abut with the connection strips of the next layer, providing electrical contact. The connection strips and the vias are arranged to spread or fan out the connections from the stripe pitch, typically 0.0125″, to that of driver chip contacts, typically 0.

Abstract: The apparatus for sealing face plates (753) and cathodes (754) has three stations (701, 702, 703). The first (701) is a preheater, the second (702) is an alignment and irradiation station and the third (703) is a controlled cooling station. Beneath each station, a vacuum pump (710) capable of drawing ultralow pressures is provided. The preheater is equipped with upper and lower banks of radiant heaters and reflectors (712). The upper heaters are Provided above a quartz: window (713) of a chamber (714) constituting the station. The pressure in the preheater is pumped down to that in the alignment and irradiation station prior to opening of the gate valve between them and transfer of the face plate and cathode. At the alignment and irradiation station, further heaters (716) are provided.