Abstract: Before submitting a sample, including a first material layered upon a substrate, to an ion milling process, whereby a second material is sputtered onto the surface of the first material and the sample is then submitted to an etching process, an irregularity is formed on the surface of the first material. The overall process results in the formation of cones, or micro-tip structures, which may then be layered with a layer of low work function material, such as amorphous diamond. The irregularity in the surface of the first material may be formed by polishing, sandblasting, photolithography, or mechanical means such as scratching.

Abstract: A partial discharge method for operating a field emission display (100) having an anode (125), a spacer (106), and a plurality of electron emitters (116) includes the steps of causing electron emitters (116) to emit electrons (130), applying a scanning mode anode voltage to the anode (125), where the scanning mode anode voltage is selected to cause electrons (130) to be attracted toward anode (125), and, thereafter, applying a partial discharge voltage to anode (125). The partial discharge voltage is equal to about a maximum discharge voltage, where the maximum discharge voltage is defined as the maximum voltage that can be applied to anode (125) during the discharge mode of operation while maintaining invisibility of spacer (106).

Abstract: A field emission device (110, 210, 310, 410) includes an electron emitter (124), a first dielectric focusing layer (122) defining a first aperture (127), and a second dielectric focusing layer (123) defining a second aperture (133). Second dielectric focusing layer (123) is disposed on first dielectric focusing layer (122). The dielectric constant of second dielectric focusing layer (123) is less than the dielectric constant of first dielectric focusing layer (122). During the operation of field emission device (110, 210, 310), electron emitter (124) emits an electron beam (134), which is focused as it travels through first aperture (127) and then through second aperture (133).

Abstract: A field emission cathode for use in flat panel displays is disclosed comprising a layer of conductive material and a layer of amorphic diamond film, functioning as a low effective work-function material, deposited over the conductive material to form emission sites. The emission sites each contain at least two sub-regions having differing electron affinities. Use of the cathode to form a computer screen is also disclosed along with the use of the cathode to form a fluorescent light source.

Abstract: A field emission device (400) includes a substrate (414), a cathode (415) disposed on substrate (414), a dielectric layer (418) disposed on cathode (415) and defining an emitter well (421) and further defining a focusing well (448), an electron emitter (420) disposed within emitter well (421) and connected to cathode (415), a gate electrode (422) disposed on dielectric layer (418), and a focusing structure (450) disposed within focusing well (448) and connected to cathode (415) for focusing an electron beam (430) emitted by electron emitter (420). A method for fabricating field emission device (400) includes directing a second collimated vapor beam (461) toward focusing well (448) subsequent to forming an encapsulating layer (478) over emitter well (421), thereby forming focusing structure (450).

Abstract: A field emission device (100) includes an electroplated structure (122) and an electron emitter (118). Electroplated structure (122) includes a base (124), which is disposed proximate to electron emitter (118) and is made from the same material from which electron emitter (118) is made. Electroplated structure (122) further includes an electroplating electrode (126), which is disposed on base (124), and an electroplated layer (128), which is disposed on electroplating electrode (126). A method for fabricating field emission device (100) includes a step of forming electron emitter (118) and further includes a step of forming base (124) during the step of forming electron emitter (118). The method further includes a step of completely encapsulating electron emitter (118) prior to a step of forming electroplated layer (128).

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 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 method for providing a gray scale in a field emission display (50) includes the step of providing a first driving pulse (214) having a pulse width equal to a pulse width separation (115) between the graphs (100, 200) of total charge response versus pulse width of a driving pulse for the non-ideal field emission display and the corresponding ideal field emission display. The pulse width separation (115) is the horizontal distance between the two graphs (100, 200) at a region wherein the two graphs (100, 200) are generally parallel. The pulse width, t.sub.n, of an nth driving pulse corresponding to an nth gray scale level is given by t.sub.n =t.sub.1 +[n-1]*[(t.sub.N -t.sub.1)/(N-1)], wherein t.sub.1 is the pulse width of the first driving pulse (214), N is the total number of gray scale levels, and t.sub.N is the pulse width of the Nth driving pulse.

Abstract: A field emission display (100) includes a dielectric layer (132) having a plurality of emitter wells (134), a plurality of electron emitters (136) disposed one each within the plurality of emitter wells (134), a plurality of conductive rows (138, 140, 142) disposed on the dielectric layer (132) and having sacrificial portions (154), an ion shield (139) disposed on the dielectric layer (132) and spaced apart from the sacrificial portions (154) of the plurality of conductive rows (138, 140, 142), and an anode (121) opposing the plurality of electron emitters (136) and defining a projected area (122) at the plurality of conductive rows (138, 140, 142). The sacrificial portions (154) of the plurality of conductive rows (138, 140, 142) extend beyond the projected area (122) of the anode (121).

Abstract: A field emission device (100, 200) includes an anode (190); a substrate (110); a plurality of spaced apart cathodes (120); a dielectric layer (124) disposed on the cathodes (120); a plurality of spacer pads (130, 230) disposed on the substrate (110) between adjacent cathodes (120) and including a spacer contact layer (142, 185) that defines the surfaces of the spacer pads (130, 230); a spacer (150) having a first edge (157), a second edge (155), and a conductive layer (152) disposed on the second edge (155), the first edge (157) contacting the anode (190), the conductive layer (152) contacting the spacer contact layer (142, 185) at the spacer pads (130, 230); and an electron emitter (170) disposed within the dielectric layer (124) and spaced apart from the second edge (155) of the spacer (150).

Abstract: A field emission device (100) includes a supporting substrate (110) having a major surface; a cathode (111) disposed on the major surface of the supporting substrate (110); a dielectric layer (112) disposed on the cathode (111); a gate extraction electrode (114) disposed on the dielectric layer (112); the cathode (111), the dielectric layer (112), and the gate extraction electrode (114) defining a spacer well (132); an anode plate (104) opposing the gate extraction electrode (114); a spacer (106) extending between the cathode (111) at the spacer well (132) and the anode plate (104); a first spacer shield (108) disposed within the spacer well (132) and surrounding the spacer (106); and a second spacer shield (108) affixed to the anode plate (104) and surrounding the spacer (106).

Abstract: A field emission cathode for use in flat panel displays is disclosed comprising a layer of conductive material and a layer of amorphic diamond film, functioning as a low effective work-function material, deposited over the conductive material to form emission sites. The emission sites each contain at least two sub-regions having differing electron affinities. Use of the cathode to form a computer screen is also disclosed along with the use of the cathode to form a fluorescent light source.

Abstract: A system and method for producing thin, uniform powder phosphors for field emission display screens features a planarization of the phosphor powder layer. That planarization is accomplished by placing the deposited phosphor layer in an anode plate between two optical flats, which are then mounted within a mechanical press.

Abstract: A field emission cathode for use in flat panel displays is disclosed comprising a layer of conductive material and a layer of amorphic diamond film, functioning as a low effective work-function material, deposited over the conductive material to form emission sites. The emission sites each contain at least two sub-regions having differing electron affinities. Use of the cathode to form a computer screen is also disclosed along with the use of the cathode to form a fluorescent light source.

Abstract: A field emission cathode for use in flat panel displays is disclosed comprising a layer of conductive material and a layer of amorphic diamond film, functioning as a low effective work-function material, deposited over the conductive material to form emission sites. The emission sites each contain at least two sub-regions having differing electron affinities. Use of the cathode to form a computer screen is also disclosed along with the use of the cathode to form a fluorescent light source.

Abstract: A display device for use in conjunction with a computer system includes a cathode having a layer of conductive material and a layer of low-effective work function material deposited over the conductive material wherein the low-effective work function material has an emission surface comprising a plurality of distributed localized electron emission sites. The emission sites may have electrical properties which are discontinuous from each other. The emission surface may be relatively flat.

Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating a display cathode which includes forming a conductive line adjacent a face of a substrate. A region of amorphic diamond is formed adjacent a selected portion of the conductive line.

Abstract: A system and method is available for fabricating a field emitter device, where in an emitter material, such as copper, is deposited over a resistive layer which has been deposited upon a substrate. Two ion beam sources are utilized. The first ion beam source is directed at a target material, such as molybdenum, for sputtering molybdenum onto the emitter material. The second ion beam source is utilized to etch the emitter material to produce cones or micro-tips. A low work function material, such as amorphous diamond, is then deposited over the micro-tips.

Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating a display cathode which includes forming a conductive line adjacent a face of a substrate. A region of amorphic diamond is formed adjacent a selected portion of the conductive line.