Abstract: A light-emitting device contains getter material (58) typically distributed in a relatively uniform manner across the device's active light-emitting portion. An electron-emitting device similarly contains getter material (112, 110/112, 128, 132, and 142) typically distributed relatively uniformly across the active electron-emitting portion of the device.

Abstract: A spatial light modulator contains a substrate (90), a plurality of overlying liquid-crystal cells (202), a plurality of respectively corresponding transistors (204), an electron-beam system (400 and 500), and a control component (203). Each transistor is in electrical communication with the corresponding liquid-crystal cell. The electron-beam system bombards each transistor with electrons that cause it to be selectively in (i) a non-conductive condition in which its channel-region electric field is substantially insufficient for conduction or (ii) a conductive condition in which its channel-region electric field is sufficient for at least partial conduction. During selected time periods when a transistor is in its conductive condition, the control component provides the transistor with a control signal that results in the polarization direction of specified light being selectively rotated in passing through the corresponding liquid-crystal cell.

Abstract: A protected faceplate structure of a field emission display device is disclosed in one embodiment. Specifically, in one embodiment, the present invention recites a faceplate of a field emission display device wherein the faceplate of the field emission display device is adapted to have phosphor containing wells disposed above one side thereof. The present embodiment is further comprised of a barrier layer which is disposed over the one side of said faceplate which is adapted to have phosphor containing wells disposed thereabove. The barrier layer of the present embodiment is adapted to prevent degradation of the faceplate. Specifically, the barrier layer of the present embodiment is adapted to prevent degradation of the faceplate due to electron bombardment by electrons directed towards the phosphor containing wells.

Abstract: A spatial light modulator contains a substrate (90), a plurality of overlying liquid-crystal cells (202), a plurality of respectively corresponding transistors (204), an electron-beam system (400 and 500), and a control component (203). Each transistor is in electrical communication with the corresponding liquid-crystal cell. The electron-beam system bombards each transistor with electrons that cause it to be selectively in (i) a non-conductive condition in which its channel-region electric field is substantially insufficient for conduction or (ii) a conductive condition in which its channel-region electric field is sufficient for at least partial conduction. During selected time periods when a transistor is in its conductive condition, the control component provides the transistor with a control signal that results in the polarization direction of specified light being selectively rotated in passing through the corresponding liquid-crystal cell.

Abstract: A field emission display which includes thin film resistors disposed between the electron-emitting elements of a cathode and a conductive support which provides electrical connection to said electron-emitting element through said thin film.

Abstract: An improved vacuum fluorescence display (VFD) that is less expensive to produce and more rugged than currently available VFDs. The display includes metal side walls and fluorescent material carried on one or more silicon wafers. A ceramic, layerable insulating material is employed as the substrate on which the wafer or wafers are mounted. In another embodiment of the current invention, a chemical getter is incorporated into a recess formed in the ceramic substrate. The getter is positioned underneath the back side of the phosphor screen so as to significantly reduce contamination of the screen by material sputtered off of the surface of the getter.

Abstract: A flat panel display and a method for forming a flat panel display. In one embodiment, the flat panel display includes a cathodic structure which is formed within an active area on a backplate. The cathodic structure includes a emitter electrode metal composed of strips of aluminum overlain by a layer of cladding material. The use of aluminum and cladding material to form emitter electrode metal gives emitter electrode metal segments which are highly conductive due to the high conductivity of aluminum. By using a suitable cladding material and processing steps, a bond between the aluminum and the cladding material is formed which has good electrical conductivity. In one embodiment, tantalum is used as a cladding material. Tantalum forms a bond with the overlying resistive layer which has good electrical conductivity. Thus, the resulting structure has very high electrical conductivity through the aluminum layer and high conductivity into the resistive layer.

Abstract: A flat panel display is described. The flat panel display includes a matrix of light-emitting diodes which are driven by thin film field effect transistor circuits in which the channel electrodes of the field effect transistors are cadmium selenide.

Abstract: An improved vacuum fluorescence display (VFD) that is less expensive to produce and more rugged than currently available VFDs. The display includes metal side walls and fluorescent material carried on one or more silicon wafers. A ceramic, layerable insulating material is employed as the substrate on which the wafer or wafers are mounted. In another embodiment of the current invention, a chemical getter is incorporated into a recess formed in the ceramic substrate. The getter is positioned underneath the back side of the phosphor screen so as to significantly reduce contamination of the screen by material sputtered off of the surface of the getter.

Abstract: A flat panel display is disclosed which includes a faceplate with a faceplate interior side, and a backplate including a backplate interior side in an opposing relationship to the faceplate interior side. Side walls are positioned between the faceplate and the backplate. The side walls, faceplate and backplate form an enclosed sealed envelope. A plurality of phosphor subpixels are positioned at the faceplate interior side. A plurality of field emitters are positioned at the backplate interior side. The field emitters emit electrons which strike corresponding phosphor subpixels. A plurality of scattering shields surround each phosphor subpixel and define a subpixel volume. The scattering shields reduce the number of scattered electrons exiting from their corresponding subpixel volume. This reduces the number of scattered electrons from charging internal insulating surfaces in the envelope, as well as striking the non-corresponding phosphor subpixels.

Abstract: An encapsulated matrix structure and formation method for preventing contamination caused by thermally induced outgassing and electron stimulated desorption of contaminants. In one embodiment, the present invention is comprised of a matrix structure which is adapted to be coupled to a faceplate of a flat panel display. The matrix structure is located on the faceplate so as to separate adjacent sub-pixel regions. The present embodiment further includes a contaminant prevention structure which covers the matrix structure. The contaminant prevention structure of the present embodiment has a physical structure such that contaminants originating within the matrix structure are confined therein. The contaminant prevention structure can also be designed to prevent electrons from impinging on the black matrix and desorbing contaminants. In so doing, the present invention prevents deleterious thermally induced outgassing and electron stimulated desorption of contaminants by the matrix structure.

Abstract: Fabrication of an electron-emitting device entails providing an electron-emitting structure in which multiple sets of electron-emissive elements (24) overlying an emitter electrode (12) are arranged in a line extending generally in a specified direction. Each of a group of control electrodes (28) in the electron-emitting structure contain (a) a main control portion (30) penetrated by a control opening (34) that laterally circumscribes one of the sets of electron-emissive elements and (b) a gate portion (32) that extends across the control opening and has gate openings (36) through which the electron-emissive elements are exposed. Actinic material (38P) is provided over the control electrodes and processed to form a base focusing structure (38) penetrated by multiple focus openings (40) such that each focus opening is centered on a corresponding one of the control openings in the specified direction.

Abstract: A light-emitting structure contains a plate (20), light-emissive regions (34R, 36G, and 38B) overlying the plate, and a dark region (40DR/46DC, 40IR/56DC, 60DR/66DC, or 76DR/80DR/80DC) overlying the plate and laterally surrounding each light-emissive region. In one aspect, the dark region is formed with (a) multiple first strips (40DR, 40IR, 60DR, or 76DR) extending in one direction and (b) multiple second strips (46DC, 56DC, 66DC, or 80DC) extending in another direction and also extending further away from the plate than the first strips. In another aspect, the dark region contains trapezoidally profiled strips (86), each having a width profile shaped like an upright trapezoid.

Abstract: Encapsulated matrix structures for flat panel displays are disclosed. In one embodiment, a field emission display includes a focusing structure disposed between a faceplate and a backplate, and a contamination prevention structure covering the focusing structure thereby preventing thermal outgassing and electron desorption of contaminants from the focusing structure. In another embodiment, a flat panel display includes a faceplate (100), a matrix structure (102), a porous material layer (702), a non-porous material layer (704), and a conductive coating (706).

Abstract: An electron-emitting device contains an emitter electrode (12), a group of sets of electron-emitting elements (24), a group of control electrodes (28), and a focusing system (37) for focusing electrons emitted by the electron-emissive elements. The sets of electron-emissive elements are arranged generally in a line extending in a specified direction. Each control electrode has a main portion (30) and a gate portion (32). the electron-emissive elements are exposed through gate openings (36) in the gate portion. The main portion of each control electrode crosses over the emitter electrode and has a large control opening (34) which laterally circumscribes one of the sets of electron-emissive elements. The focusing system has a group of focus openings (40) located respectively above the control openings. Each control opening is largely centered on, or/and is no more than 50% as large as, the corresponding focus opening in the specified direction.

Abstract: An electron-emitting device is fabricated by a process in which particles (46) are distributed over an initial structure. The particles are utilized in defining primary openings (52, 64, or 78) that extend through a primary layer (50A, 62A, or 72) provided over a gate layer (48A, 60A, or 60B) formed over an insulating layer (44) and in defining corresponding gate openings (54, 66, or 80) that extend through the gate layer. The insulating layer is etched through the primary and gate openings to form corresponding dielectric openings (56 or 68) through the insulating layer down to a lower non-insulating region (42). Electron-emissive elements (58A or 70A) are formed over the lower non-insulating region so that each electron-emissive element is at least partially situated in one dielectric opening.

Abstract: A flat-panel display including a substrate, a viewing screen, a non-conductive ring, many row conductive electrodes, conductive pads and column buses. The ring vacuum-seals a cavity between the substrate and the viewing screen. Coupled to one surface of the substrate, the row conductive electrodes have a conductivity that is higher than the conductive pads. Each pad is connected to one row electrode, and each pad extends through the ring to allow electrical coupling to its corresponding row electrode from outside the cavity while vacuum is maintained inside the cavity. The row electrodes are substantially parallel to each other, and are substantially perpendicular to the column buses. The conductive electrodes are protected from exposure to the ring. In one embodiment, the ring is a frit seal, the row conductive electrodes are made of aluminum, and the column buses and the pads are made of chromium.

Abstract: An electron-emitting device utilizes an emitter electrode (12) shaped like a ladder in which a line of emitter openings (18) extend through the electrode. In fabricating the device, the emitter openings can be utilized to self-align certain edges, such as edges (38C) of a focusing system (37), to other edges, such as edges (28C) of control electrodes (28), to obtain desired lateral spacings. The self-alignment is typically achieved with the assistance of a backside photolithographic exposure operation. The ladder shape of the emitter electrode also facilitates the removal of short-circuit defects involving the electrode.

Abstract: Openings are created in a structure by a process in which a plate is furnished with a sacrificial patterned masking layer divided into multiple laterally separated mask portions. A primary layer of actinic material is provided over the masking layer and in space between the mask portions. Material of the primary layer not shadowed by a mask formed with the mask portions is backside exposed to actinic radiation. Material of the primary layer not exposed to the radiation is removed. Segments of the masking layer not covered by exposed material of the primary layer are then removed. Consequently, openings extend through the primary layer where the segments of the masking layer have been removed. The process is typically employed in forming an optical device such as a flat-panel cathode-ray tube display in which the openings in the primary layer receive light-emissive material.

Abstract: Excess emitter material (52B) is removed in multiple steps during the fabrication of an electron-emitting device. A structure is initially provided in which a dielectric layer (44) overlies a non-insulating region (42), control electrodes (80 or 46/80) overlie the dielectric layer, openings (48/50) extend through the control electrodes and dielectric layer, electron-emissive elements (52A) formed with emitter material are situated in the openings, and an excess layer (52B) of the emitter material overlies the control electrodes and the dielectric layer. Portions of the excess emitter material overlying the dielectric layer in the spaces between the control electrodes are initially removed, preferably with etchant that directly attacks the emitter material. Portions (52C) of the excess emitter material overlying the control electrodes above the electron-emissive elements are subsequently removed to expose the electron-emissive elements.