Abstract: A field emission display having an improved operational life. In one embodiment of the present invention, the field emission display comprises a plurality of row lines, a plurality of column lines, and a plurality of electron emissive elements disposed at intersections of the plurality of row lines and column lines, a column driver circuit, and a row driver circuit. The column driver circuit is coupled to drive column voltage signals over the plurality of column lines; and, the row driver circuit is coupled to activate and deactivate the plurality of row lines with row voltage signals. Significantly, according to the present invention, operational life of the field emission display is substantially extended when the electron emissive elements are intermittently reverse-biased by the column voltage signals and the row voltage signals. In another embodiment, the row driver circuit is responsive to a SLEEP signal.

Abstract: A flat panel display and a method for forming a flat panel display. In one embodiment, the flat panel display includes a sealed interior region. The seal material is placed between a faceplate and a backplate. The seal material is heated using microwave energy. The microwave energy melts the seal material, forming a sealed interior region. The flat panel display is evacuated using an evacuation device that is then sealed off. This results in a flat panel display that is hermetically sealed.

Abstract: A circuit and method for time multiplexing a voltage signal for controlling the color balance of a flat panel display. Within an FED screen, a matrix of rows and columns is provided and emitters are situated within each row-column intersection. Row drivers are sequentially activated during "row on-time windows" and corresponding individual gray scale information (voltages) are driven by the column drivers. When the proper voltage is applied across the cathode and anode of the emitters, electrons are released toward a phosphor spot, e.g., red, green, blue, causing illumination. Within each column driver, selection circuitry is provided for driving a first voltage data during a first part of the row on-time window and a second voltage data during a second part of the row on-time window. The lengths of the first part and second part of each row on-time window can be adjusted, for a given color, to adjust the color balance with respect to that color.

Abstract: A coating material having specific resistivity and secondary emission characteristics. The coating material described herein is especially well-adapted for coating a spacer structure of a flat panel display. In one embodiment, the coating material is characterized by:a sheet resistance, .rho..sub.sc, and an area resistance, r, wherein .rho..sub.sc and r are defined as:.rho..sub.sc >100(.rho..sub.sw) and r<.rho..sub.sw (l.sup.2 /8).In the present embodiment, .rho..sub.sw is the sheet resistance of a spacer to which the coating material is adapted to be applied, and l is the height of the spacer to which the coating material is adapted to be applied. By having a coating material with such characteristics, the present invention eliminates the need to place rigorous secondary emission characteristic requirements on the material comprising the spacer structure in a flat panel display.

Abstract: A method is provided for creating gated filament structures for a field emission display. A multi-layer structure is provided that includes a substrate, an insulating layer, a metal gate layer positioned on a top surface of the insulating layer and a gate encapsulation layer positioned on a top surface of the metal gate layer. A plurality of gates are provided and define a plurality of apertures on the top of the insulating layer. A plurality of spacers are formed in the apertures at their edges on the top surface of the insulating layer. The spacers are used as masks for etching the insulating layer and form a plurality of pores in the insulating layer. The pores are plated with a filament material to create a plurality of filaments. The pores can be overplated to create the plurality of filaments. The filaments are vertically self-aligned in the pores.

Abstract: A backplate structure for a field emission display includes a transparent backplate substrate, a plurality of opaque electrodes, a plurality of field emitters geometrically located in the opaque electrodes, and a focusing electrode. The focusing electrode has an exterior surface with a conductive layer disposed substantially over the exterior surface, and the focusing electrode is electrically isolated from the opaque electrodes. The faceplate structure can further include a plurality of transparent electrodes that are orthogonal to the opaque electrodes.

Abstract: A backplate structure for a field emission display includes a transparent backplate substrate, a plurality of opaque electrodes, a plurality of field emitters geometrically located in the opaque electrodes, and a focusing electrode. The focusing electrode has an exterior surface with a conductive layer disposed substantially over the exterior surface, and the focusing electrode is electrically isolated from the opaque electrodes. The faceplate structure can further include a plurality of transparent electrodes that are orthogonal to the opaque electrodes.