Abstract: A field emission device (400) includes a plastically-deformable, ceramic, stamped substrate (200) made from a plastically deformable ceramic, which in the preferred embodiment includes a calendered tape. The plastically-deformable, ceramic, stamped substrate (200) includes first and second opposed surfaces (202, 204) and defines apertures (206) in which are formed extraction electrodes (410). The field emission device (400) further includes an electron-emissive layer (418) being formed on the first opposed surface (202). Cathodes (420) are disposed on the electron-emissive layer (418) and cross the extraction electrodes (410) at an angle of 90.degree.. A method for fabricating said field emission device (400) includes stamping a layer (100) of the softened calendered tape with a die (300) to define the apertures (206) and grooves (208, 212, 214).

Abstract: A multiconfiguration backplane (100) can be configured in four different configurations: dual, extended, active/standby and active/active. The multiconfiguration backplane (100) has a first COMPACT PCI bus (110) with a first system processor slot (112), a first bridge slot (114), and a first set of one or more input/output slots (116). The multiconfiguration backplane has a second COMPACT PCI bus (120) with a second system processor slot (122), a second bridge slot (124), and a second set of one or more input/output slots (126). A first cross connection (130) is between the first system processor slot (112) and the second bridge slot (124), and a second cross connection (140) is provided between the second system processor slot (122) and the first bridge slot (114). Preferably, the first cross connection is a first local PCI bus and the second cross connection is a second local PCI bus.

Abstract: An electron emitter (121, 221, 321, 421) includes an electron emitter structure (118) having a passivation layer (120, 220, 320, 420) formed thereon. The passivation layer (120, 220, 320, 420) is made from an oxide selected from a group consisting of the oxides of Ba, Ca, Sr, In, Sc, Ti, Ir, Co, Sr, Y, Zr, Ru, Pd, Sn, Lu, Hf, Re, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Th, and combinations thereof. In the preferred embodiment, the electron emitter structure (118) is made from molybdenum, and the passivation layer (120, 220, 320, 420) is made from an emission-enhancing oxide having a work function that is less than the work function of the molybdenum.

Abstract: A method for reducing charge accumulation in a field emission display (100) includes the steps of causing a plurality of electron emitters (114) to emit electrons (132) to reduce the potential at an anode (124) of the field emission display (100). Upon the reduction of the potential at the anode (124), the electrons (132) neutralize a positively electrostatically charged surface (129) of a spacer (130). The anode potential is dropped by providing a resistor (127) in series with a voltage source (126) connected to the anode (124). The anode potential is reduced by causing the electron emitters (114) to emit simultaneously to provide a pull-down current (128) at the anode (124). The voltage at the anode (124) is reduced to a value that causes a sufficient flux of electrons (132) to be attracted to the charged surfaces (129) for neutralizing them.

Abstract: A method or providing uniform emission current from a plurality of electron emitters with a composite current voltage characteristic (620), which include surface states that provide resonant tunneling emission of electrons (260). Field emission device (200) is operated beyond a decrease in the increase of emission current (630) as shown in the composite current voltage characteristic (620) in order to provide uniform emission current.

Abstract: A method for controlling an emission current (134) in a field emission display (100) includes performing at start-up the steps of providing at an anode (138) a voltage less than an operating anode voltage, receiving emission current (134) at anode (138), concurrently measuring a power output of a power supply (146) connected to anode (138), and using the measured power output to adjust an offset voltage applied to a gate extraction electrode (126). A field emission display (100) includes a control circuit (111), which has a sensor (150), a current controller (154), and a gate voltage source (158). Sensor (150) is designed to be connected to power supply (146). Gate voltage source (158) is connected to gate extraction electrode (126) and applies thereto the offset voltage, which is manipulated by current controller (154) in response to an output signal (152) of sensor (150).

Abstract: A flat panel display (12) includes a backplate (14) and a faceplate (16) attached to the backplate (14) defining a vacuum enclosure (18) therebetween. A spacer (46, 62, 64, 78, 80, 90) is positioned between the backplate (14) and the faceplate (16). The spacer geometry is anti-symmetrical and non-integral with respect to an array of electron emitters (30, 48, 76) on a cathode plate (22) overlying the backplate (14). The spacers have a curved surface (52, 78, 82) that is characterized by a radius r, or by a length d.sub.3 of a unit shape having bend angles .alpha. and .beta., whereas the electron emitter arrays are characterized by orthogonally arranged rows (32) and columns (34). The anti-symmetrical and non-integral relationship between the spacers (46, 62, 64, 78, 80, 90) and the electron emitters reduces the number of electron emitters and pixels (49, 77, 86) that are occluded by the spacers.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a field emission device (200) includes the steps of forming on the surface of a substrate (110) a cathode (112), forming on the cathode (112) a dielectric layer (114), forming an emitter well (115) in the dielectric layer (114), forming within the emitter well (115) an electron emitter structure (118) having a surface (123), forming on a portion of the dielectric layer (114) a gate electrode (116), depositing on the dielectric layer (114) a sacrificial layer (210), thereafter depositing on the surface (123) of the electron emitter structure (118) a coating material (220, 320, 420) that has an emission-enhancing material, and then removing the sacrificial layer (210).

Abstract: A field emission display (100) includes a cathode plate (110) having a plurality of electron emitters (114), an anode plate (122) having an anode (124) connected to a potential source (126), and an anode voltage pull-down circuit (127) having an input (106) and an output (104). Output (104) is connected to anode (124), and input (106) is connected to potential source (126). Preferably, anode voltage pull-down circuit (127) causes an anode voltage (120) at anode (124) to drop to about ground potential prior to generation of a discharge current by electron emitters (114) for neutralizing positively electrostatically charged surfaces (137, 138) within field emission display (100).

Abstract: A field emission display (100) includes a cathode plate (102) having a plurality of electron emitters (124), an anode plate (104) opposing the cathode plate (102), and a bulk-resistive spacer (108) extending between the anode plate (104) and the cathode plate (102). The bulk-resistive spacer (108) is made from an electrically conductive material. The resistivity of the electrically conductive material is selected to remove impinging charges while preventing excessive power loss due to electrical current through the bulk-resistive spacer (108) from the anode plate (104) to the cathode plate (102).

Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating a display spacer assembly (100, 400, 500) useful in the fabrication of large-area field emission displays (200, 600). The method includes the steps of: forming slots (12, 22, 32, 33) in a substrate (10, 23, 30) thereby providing a jig; providing spacers (14, 24, 34) having lower rounded edges and upper edges; placing the lower rounded edges into the slots (12, 22, 32, 33) so that the spacers (14, 24, 34) are positioned in a predetermined layout pattern over the slotted jig surface; and placing the upper edges of the spacers (14, 24, 34) in abutting engagement with a display plate (18, 10) of a field emission display.

Abstract: A method for in situ cleaning of electron emitters (126, 226, 326, 526) in a field emission device (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) includes the steps of controllably providing hydrogen gas (142, 242, 342, 542) within the field emission device (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) at a time during the operational life of the field emission device (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) and, thereafter, emitting electrons from the electron emitters (126, 226, 326, 526), thereby forming hydrogen free radicals, which decontaminate and condition the emissive surfaces of the electron emitters (126, 226, 326, 526).

Abstract: An electron emitter formed with a layer of diamond-like carbon having a diamond bond structure with an electrically active defect at an emission site. The electrically active defect acts like a very thin electron emitter with a very low work function and improved current characteristics, including in improved saturation current.

Abstract: A field emission display (200) includes a cathode plate (202); a substrate (102) opposing the cathode plate (202); a conductive matrix (104) disposed on the substrate (102) and having via walls (103) defining a plurality of phosphor vias (105); a phosphor (106, 108, 110) disposed within each of the phosphor vias (105); and a gas-adsorption material distributed within the conductive matrix (104). A method for fabricating the field emission display (200) includes the steps of silk-screening onto the substrate (102) a screenable suspension, which is made from a glass, a metal, a gas-adsorption material, and a photo-sensitive material, to form a film; photo-patterning the film to form a phosphor via (105); depositing a phosphor material into the phosphor via (105) to form an anode plate (100); and affixing the cathode plate (202) to the anode plate (100).

Abstract: A field emission display (100) includes a cathode plate (104) having a plurality of electron emitters (112) and ballast resistors (118), an anode plate (120) having an anode (124), and a temperature compensation circuit (130) having an input (142), an output (134), and a current output (138). Input (142) is connected to unregulated voltage (132), output (134) is connected to gate (116), and current output (138) is connected to temperature sensing element (148). Preferably, temperature sensing element (148) is mounted on cathode plate (104) and matches the temperature vs. resistance characteristics of ballast resistors (118). Temperature compensation circuit (130) outputs current (220) to temperature sensing element (148) and receives ballast voltage (230) from temperature sensing element (148) as a function of temperature of cathode plate (104).

Abstract: An apparatus (110) for driving a capacitive display device (120) includes a pull-up transistor (180) having a source connected to a high voltage input node (184), a push-down transistor (182) having a source connected to a low voltage input node (186) and a drain connected to the drain of the pull-up transistor (180), a pull-up voltage level shifter (132) connected to the gate of the pull-up transistor (180), and a push-down voltage level shifter (134) connected to the gate of the push-down transistor (182), the drain of the pull-up transistor (180) connected to the drain of the push-down transistor (182) at a driver output node (170). A method for driving a capacitive display device (120) includes driving the capacitive display device (120) with a drive voltage signal (172) having a bandwidth substantially within the bandwidth of the capacitive display device (120).