Abstract: A novel structure is provided to improve the operating stability of thioaluminate based phosphors used in ac thick film dielectric electroluminescent displays. The novel structure comprises a rare earth activated alkaline earth thioaluminate phosphor thin film layer and a silicon oxynitride layer provided directly adjacent the top and/or bottom of the phosphor thin film layer, wherein said silicon oxynitride layer comprises a composition of Si3NxOyHz where 2?x?4, 0<y?2 and 0?z?1. The invention is particularly applicable to phosphors used in electroluminescent displays that employ thick dielectric layers subject to high processing temperatures to form and activate the phosphor films.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing integrated circuits uses an atmospheric magnetic mirror plasma etching apparatus to thin a semiconductor wafer. In addition the process may, while thinning, both segregate and expose through-die vias for an integrated circuit chip. To segregate, the wafer may be partially diced. Then, the wafer may be tape laminated. Next, the backside of the wafer may be etched. As the backside material is removed, the partial dicing and through-die vias may be exposed. As such, the method reduced handling steps and increases yield. Furthermore, the method may be used in association with wafer level processing and flip chip with bump manufacturing.

Abstract: A thin film phosphor for an electroluminescent device, the phosphor being selected from the group consisting of thioaluminates, thiogallates and thioindates having at least one cation selected from elements of Groups IIA and IIB of the Periodic Table of Elements. The phosphor being activated by a rare earth metal and containing oxygen as a partial substitute for a portion of the sulphur in the crystal lattice of the thiogallate, thioindate or thioaluminate. The phosphor is a single phase homogeneous compound and provides improved luminance stability. An electroluminescent device comprising the thin film phosphor is also described and methods of making the phosphor of the invention.

Abstract: An electroluminescent display and driving method is provided wherein the rows of pixels are divided into sub-pixel sets and several different sets of sub-pixels are then addressed from within a larger superset of adjacent sub-pixels. The image data for the addressed sub-pixels is averaged with that for adjacent sub-pixels and is applied to the reduced number of larger sub-pixels in sequence. Consequently, for a given sequence of input frame data sets the time average over one frame for a portion of the sub-pixels at any location of the panel is substantially the same as that for a conventionally addressed sub-pixel in a prior art panel.

Abstract: The invention relates to improving the stability of the lower electrodes in an electroluminescent display employing a thick film dielectric. The invention is an encapsulated electrode comprising an electrode of an electrically conductive metallic film. A layer of encapsulating material is provided on an upper and/or lower surface of the electrode layer. The encapsulating material reduces the risk of the electrode from becoming discontinuous and losing its electrical conductivity.

Abstract: A patterned phosphor structure, and EL laminate containing same, forming red, green and blue sub-pixel phosphor elements for an AC electroluminescent display. The patterned phosphor structure includes at least a first and a second phosphor emitting light in different ranges of the visible spectrum, but with combined emission spectra contains red, green and blue light, the first and second phosphors being in a layer, arranged in adjacent, repeating relationship to each other to provide a plurality of repeating first and second phosphor deposits.

Abstract: The present invention is a low firing temperature, composite thick film dielectric layer for an electroluminescent display. The composite thick film dielectric layer comprises; (a) a lower zone layer of a thick film composition comprising; one or more of lead magnesium niobate (PMN), lead magnesium niobate-titanate (PMN-PT), lead titanate, barium titanate and lead oxide; and a glass frit composition comprising lead oxide, boron oxide and silicon dioxide; (b) an upper zone comprising at least one layer of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) and/or barium titanate; and (c) an intermediate composite zone comprising a composite of (a) and (b).

Abstract: A phosphor and a method of deposition. The phosphor comprises a composition of the formula M?aBa1-aM?2M??4?; RE, where M? is at least one element selected from magnesium and calcium, M? is at least one element selected from aluminum, gallium and indium, M?? is at least one element selected from sulphur, selenium and tellurium, RE is at least one rare earth element, especially europium or cerium, and 0<a<1. Deposition is preferably by dual source electron beam deposition. The phosphor may be annealed. The phosphor provides a high luminosity blue emission that does not require an optical filter to achieve acceptable color coordinates for the blue sub-pixel element for a full color thin film or thick film electroluminescent display. The blue sub-pixel pixel performance meets the luminosity and color temperature specifications for current generation cathode ray tube displays.

Abstract: A method of deposition of a phosphor in a single-source sputtering process, in which the phosphor is selected from the group consisting of ternary, quaternary or higher thioaluminate, thiogallate and thioindate phosphors, and composites thereof, synthesized with cations selected from Groups IIA and IIB of the Periodic Table of Elements. The phosphor is of a pre-determined composition of elements. The method comprising sputtering in a hydrogen sulphide atmosphere from a single source composition so as to deposit a composition on a substrate. The composition of the targets of the single source has a relative increase in concentration of elements of the phosphor that have a lower atomic weight compared to other elements in said phosphor. The relative increase is controlled such that deposition of the pre-determined composition is effected on the substrate. Preferred phosphors are barium thioaluminate (BaAl2S4:Eu), and barium magnesium thioaluminates.

Abstract: The invention relates to a laser ablation method for patterning thin film layers for thick dielectric electroluminescent displays without substantial ablation of or damage to any other layers. Typically, the thin film layers are phosphor layers.

Abstract: A circuit and method are provided for driving a display panel requiring gray scale control wherein the voltage applied to a row of pixels is equal to the sum of voltages of opposite sign with respect to ground applied respectively to the row electrode and column electrodes whose intersection with the row defines the pixels. The pixels have a capacitance that may be voltage dependent such that energy is stored in the pixels when a voltage is applied across them. The driving circuit incorporates a resonant circuit that is able to efficiently recover capacitive energy stored on the row of pixels and transfer it to another row of pixels. The resonant circuit comprises a step down transformer, a capacitor across the primary winding, either the rows or columns of the display panel connected across the secondary winding and an input voltage and FET switches to drive the resonant circuit synchronous with the timing pulses governing the addressing of the display.

Abstract: The invention is a novel sputter deposition process for thin film phosphors that provide high luminance and colors required for TV applications.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing integrated circuits uses an atmospheric magnetic mirror plasma etching apparatus to thin a semiconductor wafer. In addition the process may, while thinning, both segregate and expose through-die vias for an integrated circuit chip. To segregate, the wafer may be partially diced. Then, the wafer may be tape laminated. Next, the backside of the wafer may be etched. As the backside material is removed, the partial dicing and through-die vias may be exposed. As such, the method reduced handling steps and increases yield. Furthermore, the method may be used in association with wafer level processing and flip chip with bump manufacturing.

Abstract: A patterned phosphor structure and EL laminate containing same, forming red, green and blue sub-pixel phosphor elements for an AC electroluminescent display. The patterned phosphor structure includes at least a first and a second phosphor emitting light in different ranges of the visible spectrum, but with combined emission spectra contains red, green and blue light, the first and second phosphors being in a layer, arranged in adjacent, repeating relationship to each other to provide a plurality of repeating first and second phosphor deposits.

Abstract: A circuit and method of driving a display panel requiring gray scale control wherein the voltage applied to a row of pixels is equal to the sum of voltages of opposite sign with respect to ground applied respectively to the row electrode and column electrodes whose intersection with the row defines the pixels. Gray scale is realized through modulation of the voltage applied to the column electrodes. Typically for video application, 256 individual gray levels are required corresponding to luminance levels ranging from zero (no emissive luminance) to full luminance. The required luminance for each gray level is not a linear function of the gray level number but rather corresponds to an approximate quadratic function of this number. The present invention facilitates generation of luminance values for each gray level that approximates this functional dependence ( i.e. Gamma corrected) with a non-linear voltage ramp terminated by a digital clock having 256 (8 bit) resolution.

Abstract: A patterned phosphor structure, and EL laminate containing same, forming red, green and blue sub-pixel phosphor elements for an AC electroluminescent display. The patterned phosphor structure includes at least a first and a second phosphor emitting light in different ranges of the visible spectrum, but with combined emission spectra contains red, green and blue light, the first and second phosphors being in a layer, arranged in adjacent, repeating relationship to each other to provide a plurality of repeating first and second phosphor deposits.

Abstract: A patterned phosphor structure, and EL laminate containing same, forming red, green and blue sub-pixel phosphor elements for an AC electroluminescent display. The patterned phosphor structure includes at least a first and a second phosphor emitting light in different ranges of the visible spectrum, but with combined emission spectra contains red, green and blue light, the first and second phosphors being in a layer, arranged in adjacent, repeating relationship to each other to provide a plurality of repeating first and second phosphor deposits.

Abstract: A patterned phosphor structure, and EL laminate containing same, forming red, green and blue sub-pixel phosphor elements for an AC electroluminescent display. The patterned phosphor structure includes at least a first and a second phosphor emitting light in different ranges of the visible spectrum, but with combined emission spectra contains red, green and blue light, the first and second phosphors being in a layer, arranged in adjacent, repeating relationship to each other to provide a plurality of repeating first and second phosphor deposits.

Abstract: A thin film phosphor for an electroluminescent device, the phosphor being a compound of the formula MgxCa1−xAl2S4:M, where the value of x is in the range 0<x<0.3 and M is a rare earth activator. A method for the preparation of the phosphor on a substrate is also disclosed.

Abstract: A thin film phosphor for an electroluminescent device, in which the phosphor is selected from the group consisting of thioaluminates, thiogallates and thioindates having at least one cation selected from elements of Groups IIA and IIB of the Periodic Table of Elements. The phosphor is activated by a rare earth metal and co-activated with gadolinium. The phosphor provides improved luminance. An electroluminescent device comprising the thin film phosphor on a substrate is also described. Further aspects provide an electroluminescent device in which the thin film phosphor is adjacent to a thin film of zinc sulphide, preferably sandwiched between thin films of zinc sulphide.