Abstract: The method comprises the following steps: preparing a sheet having thickness of 5 ?m to a few tens of micrometers, suitable for being etched by a lithographic operation; making a mask on a face of the sheet, the mask presenting etching selectivity S of at least 5; depositing a layer of photosensitive resin on the mask; making through holes in the layer of resin by photolithography; etching through the mask via the pores in the layer of resin; and anisotropically etching through the sheet from the pores in the mask in order to make pores in the sheet having an aspect ratio greater than 5. The invention is applicable to fabricating micron and sub-micron filters.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the production of a plasma (16) within a housing comprising means for the generation of energy in the microwave spectrum, for the excitation of the plasma, said means comprise at least one basic plasma excitation device with a coaxial applicator (4) of microwave energy, one of the ends of which is connected to a production source (7) of microwave energy, the other end (8) of which is directed to the gas to be excited within the housing. The device is characterised in that each basic plasma excitation device is arranged in the wall (3) of the housing, each applicator (4) having a central core (5) which is essentially flush with the wall of the housing. The central core and the thickness of the wall (3) of the housing are separated by a space (6) coaxial to the central core, said space being totally filled, at least at the end of each applicator, by a dielectric material (14), such that said material is essentially flush with the level of the wall of the housing.

Abstract: The invention concerns a faceplate comprising, for each discharge zone, at least two electrode elements having an axis of symmetry Ox and which are adapted such that the surface potential V(x) measured at the dielectric layer surface covering said elements increases, away from the edge of the discharge elements, continuously or discontinuously, without decreasing portion, when a constant potential difference is applied between the two electrodes serving said discharge zone, thereby substantially enhancing the panel luminous efficacy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling an image display device and an image display device implementing this method. The invention relates more specifically to a display device having a matrix of cells, a column driver circuit and a column amplifier with resonant circuitry to recover energy. The invention proposes to optimize the method for controlling the column amplifier to reduce to zero the energy losses during the switching actions of the switches of the column driver circuit. To this end, the invention proposes to position the start of the period of oscillation of the resonant circuit in a manner dependent on the capacitance of the columns of cells connected to the resonant circuit via the column driver circuit such that the switching actions of the switches of the column driver circuit always take place when the voltage delivered by the column amplifier is zero.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for confinement of a plasma (5) within a housing (1), comprising means for creating a magnetic field, said means being a series of permanent magnets (3) for creation of a magnetic field presenting an alternating multi-polar magnetic structure to the plasma. The invention is characterised in that the magnets (3) restrict the plasma to a large volume, the magnets begin distributed in a discontinuous manner around the volume and said magnets (3) are arranged within the housing at a separation from the walls of the housing by means of support shafts (4).

Abstract: The invention concerns a display panel comprising a front faceplate and a rear faceplate providing between them a two-dimensional matrix of zones filled with discharge gas, addressing means for selectively activating pre-selected discharge zones by depositing therein electric charges, and a device for generating microwave electromagnetic radiation adapted to apply through the rear faceplate to the assembly of the display panel discharge zones, a microwave radiation of sufficient intensity to generate plasma discharges solely in the activated discharge zones. Thus, an easy-to-monitor panel with high luminous efficacy is obtained wherein the addressing and maintenance functions are separate.

Abstract: The invention concerns a plasma display device-comprising in a screen a chamber (17) containing a discharge gas capable of being excited to generate, alone or in combination with luminophor means (18) themselves designed to be excited by a radiation emitted by said gas, a visible light. The device comprises means for generating on one side of said chamber (17) a uniformly distributed electric field (E) designed to ignite a plasma in the gas, as well as a matrix of controllable elements (19) and means controlling said elements (19) so that they modulate individually the electric field (E) or the radiation emitted by the plasma or the generated visible light thereby generating selectively luminous zones on the screen.

Abstract: Method comprising a succession of image frames which each comprise a sustain phase of the display discharge regions which itself comprises the application of sustain voltage pulses VS between the electrodes of each pair crossing these regions, and, during each sustain pulse, the application of trigger voltage pulses VM to groups of discharge regions, which pulses are applied successively and not simultaneously to the various groups of discharge regions. Thanks to the application in stages of the trigger pulses during each sustain pulse, a reduction in the instantaneous current required to supply the display is obtained.

Abstract: The method of the invention generates an address signal for addressing columns or rows of a PDP. In the case of addressing a column, for example, the method comprises the following steps. For a phase T1, a DC voltage V1 is applied across the terminals of a solenoid L, so that the latter stores energy, and applies a voltage A across the terminals of a selected column. During a phase T2, some of the energy stored in the solenoid L is discharged into the column until the voltage across the terminals of the column becomes about zero, During a phase T3, an approximately zero voltage is maintained across the terminals of the column. According to one embodiment the selection of the column(s) during this phase is modifiable. During a phase T4, the solenoid L is charged with current stored in a capacitor until the voltage across the terminals of the column is zero.

Abstract: The invention concerns a source supplying an adjustable energy electron beam, comprising a plasma chamber (P) consisting of an enclosure (1) having an inner surface of a first value (S1) and an extraction gate (2) having a surface of a second value (S2), the gate potential being different from that of the enclosure and adjustable. The invention is characterized in that the plasma is excited and confined in multipolar or multidipolar magnetic structures, the ratio of the second value (S2) over the first value (S1) being close to: D=1/? {square root}2?cme/mi exp (?½), wherein: ? is the proportion of electrons of the plasma P, me the electron mass, and mi is the mass of positively charged ions.

Abstract: A method for driving a plasma display having discharge regions each crossed by a pair of sustain electrodes (YS, YAS) and at least one trigger electrode (XA) is disclosed. The method includes a succession of image frames or subframes which each have a discharge region sustain phase including the application of voltage pulses VS between the electrodes of each pair of sustain electrodes serving these regions, and the application of a trigger pulse VM, of duration &tgr;M less than 1 &mgr;S, between the trigger electrode (XA) and one and/or the other of the electrodes of each pair serving these regions. The intensity and luminous efficiency of plasma displays can thus be significantly improved.

Abstract: The invention concerns a system including a microwave generator and a rectangular guide connected with the generator. The system is adapted to operate in fundamental (H10) or transverse electrical (TE10) mode, and associated with means providing a standing wave pattern. The system also includes many power connectors arranged in the guide at zones of maximum amplitude for one of the components of the electromagnetic field for splitting the generator power. The power connectors are adjusted so that the sum of their reduced admittance levels brought to the splitter input formed by the guide is in a single unit and many sources, respectively connected to a connector of the guide, via insulating means ensuring a power transmission of the connector to the source without reflecting towards the connector and a device adapting impedance of each source, located downstream of the insulating means, between the latter and associated source.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for making an extreme ultraviolet microlithography transmission modulator, characterised in that it consists in obtaining adamantine amorphous carbon by a process using a plasma consisting of a mixture of acetylene and argon and maintained by the power of a microwave source; in depositing a thin adamantine amorphous carbon film on a substrate with low absorption in extreme ultraviolet whereto is applied a variable polarisation; in varying the forbidden band between 1 and 2 eV through control of the argon partial pressure and in varying the corresponding extinction coefficient so as to modulate the modulator transmission without modifying the thickness of the deposited film.