Abstract: Driver circuit chip mounting techniques for use in the fabrication of monolithic flat panel displays are disclosed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. According to a preferred embodiment, a driver circuit having a spot of optical cement is precisely positioned within a location of metalized, grouped and patterned row or column conductors. Thereafter collimated ultraviolet light is imaged through the display onto the rear of the driver circuit until the optical cement has become sufficiently tacky to permit the display to be inverted whereupon collimated ultraviolet light may be directly applied to complete the full curing of the optical cements.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of filling the interstice between the anode structure and the cathode structure of an electrophoretic image display (EPID) with a fluid dispersion containing solid pigment particles. And more specifically, a method of filling such EPIDs when the interstice between the anode structure and the cathode structure is less than 0.007 inches. The present invention method includes the steps of coating the anode structure with pigment particles prior to the assembly of the anode structure or cathode structure into the EPID. After the pigment particle coated anode or cathode structure has been assembled into the EPID, the EPID is filled with a suspension medium lacking any pigment particles. An electrophoretic effect is then created within the EPID causing the pigment particles to migrate away from the anode or cathode structure they coat, thereby becoming disperse within the suspension medium.

Abstract: A triode type electrophoretic display (10) includes a pair of substantially identical glass faceplates (12, 14) sealed to a pair of interstitial spacers (16a, 16b) to form a fluid-tight envelope for containing an electrophoretic fluid. An anodized black screen or mesh element (28) is sandwiched between the spacers and is opaque when viewed by the naked eye, thereby providing enhanced background coloration and contrast with pigment particles suspended in the fluid. The mesh (28) occupies an intermediate position relative to the extreme limits of travel of the particles as controlled by grid (18) and cathode (20) deposited upon one faceplate (14) on one side and the anode (26) deposited upon the other faceplate (12) on the other side. The screen (28) is porous, permits particles to pass through it, and is biased electrically to assist in moving the particles during formation of a displayed image.

Abstract: A method for writing data to an EPID display includes loading data for a line of pixels onto the grid lines of the EPID. Instead of writing that single line fully by enabling the associated cathode row with a logical "1" voltage for the time necessary to cause complete pigment particle migration, the associated cathode line and at least the next adjacent cathode line are enabled for a shorter duration than is required for fully writing the lines. The grid is then loaded with data corresponding to the next line of pixels and the set of cathode lines enabled is shifted by one line, such that at least one cathode line previously enabled is enabled for a subsequent time whereby particle migration for writing is made more complete where the grid data is constant from one row of pixels to the next.

Abstract: A apparatus provides grey scale capability for an electrophoretic information display. The electrophoretic information display is an XY addressable display with each XY coordinate indicative of a given column and row and defining a pixel. There are described various circuit configurations coupled to the display for impressing upon the display a predetermined digital pattern to cause certain pixels in the display to be energized with respect to other pixels in the display where the combination due to the digital pattern causes a desired grey scale level to appear on a character or on the background of the display.

Abstract: A triode-type electrophoretic display includes a glass viewing window upon which has been deposited a plurality of parallel cathode members. A plurality of grid members are deposited upon a layer of insulation above the cathode members and perpendicular thereto. A fluid-tight envelope encapsulating the cathode and grid members is formed by a glass cap having an conductor layer deposited on an interior surface for forming an anode. The glass cap seals against the viewing window. An electrophoretic fluid having pigmented particles suspended therein is contained in the envelope. The cathode and grid members have no free terminal ends within the fluid, instead, such ends extend beyond the fluid containing space and are covered by the cap. The cathode, grid and anode are selectively electrically chargeable to induce movement of the particles within the fluid, localized concentrations of particles at the intersections of the cathode and grid being visible through the viewing window.

Abstract: A triode-type electrophoretic display includes a fluid-tight envelope for containing an electrophoretic fluid with suspended pigment particles and has a glass viewing window upon which has been deposited a plurality of parallel cathode members. An electrically continuous grid member with a plurality of pores therein is deposited upon a layer of insulation overlying the cathode members. The grid pores preferably extend through the grid and the insulation layer to allow the fluid to contact the cathode members. A glass backplate seals the rear of the envelope and serves as a substrate for a plurality of parallel anode members. The cathode and anode members form a matrix with a plurality of intersections and are selectively electrically chargeable to induce movement of the particles within the fluid to or away from the individual intersections, localized concentrations of particles at the intersections being visible through the viewing window.

Abstract: A triode type electrophoretic display includes a pair of substantially identical glass faceplates sealed against a peripheral sealing wall to form a fluid-tight envelope for containing an electrophoretic fluid. A first faceplate bears the anode which is composed of a plurality of elongated substantially parallel horizontal conductor members disposed within a first plane and a plurality of elongated substantially parallel vertical conductor members. The horizontal and vertical members are insulated from each other by interstitial insulator strips underlying the vertical members and by a SiO.sub.2 layer. The vertical and horizontal members are slotted and grouped into groups so that the area of the intersection of a vertical group and a horizontal group approximates that of a single character. The cathode and grid are formed on the other faceplate in essentially the same manner as the composite anode.

Abstract: An improvement to an electrophoretic display having a cathode/grid/local anode matrix and a remote anode and to the method for making the display includes forming the local anode lines in the same plane as the grid lines from the same material and in the same fabricating step. The local anode lines are insulated from the grid lines and are interleaved therewith, each being formed on a common layer of photoresist. It is preferred that each grid line be associated with one local anode line, that the grid lines have tines and that the local anode lines be disposed between the tines.

Abstract: A triode-type electrophoretic display includes a fluid-tight envelope for containing an electrophoretic fluid with suspended pigment particles and has a glass viewing window upon which has been deposited a plurality of parallel cathode members. A plurality of parallel Indium Tin Oxide cathode members are deposited on a surface of the window and are, in one embodiment, overcoated by a layer of SiO.sub.2. A layer of photoresist is then deposited over the SiO.sub.2 followed by a layer of Ni. The Ni and photoresist are etched down to the SiO.sub.2 layer to form a plurality of parallel grid members residing in a second plane above and insulated from the plane of the cathode members. The cathode and anode members form a matrix with a plurality of intersections and are selectively electrically chargeable to induce movement of the particles within the fluid to or away from the individual intersections, localized concentrations of particles at the intersections being visible through the viewing window.

Abstract: There is disclosed methods for fabricating electrophoretic displays. Essentially the methods employ selective materials such as different metals which are capable of being etched by different etchants. In this manner, a laminate is provided to form a grid matrix which is insulated from a cathode matrix which grid matrix is also insulated from a second anode matrix. The entire display utilizes a local or second anode and a remote anode to further control pigment particle migration. The display is fabricated by two methods both of which employ selective etching of the parallel line type of display electrodes which constitute a cathode, a grid and a local anode.

Abstract: Anode electrode structure (12) for a display such as an electrophoretic display panel. An anode electrode structure (12) which is fabricated in accordance with the present invention includes a multiplicity of anode line segments (2), (7), (13) and (18) wherein each anode line segment comprises at least a first and a second conductor. An embodiment of the inventive anode electrode structure (12) enables a selective erase operation of a line (8) in a display without partial erasure of adjacent lines (3), (14), (19).

Abstract: There is disclosed methods for fabricating electrophoretic displays. Essentially the methods employ selective materials such as different metals which are capable of being etched by different etchants. In this manner, a laminate is provided to form a grid matrix which is insulated from a cathode matrix which grid matrix is also insulated from a second anode matrix. The entire display utilizes a local or second anode and a remote anode to further control pigment particle migration. The display is fabricated by two methods both of which employ selective etching of the parallel line type of display electrodes which constitute a cathode, a grid and a local anode.

Abstract: An electrophoretic display apparatus has grid and cathode conductors arranged as an X-Y matrix spaced from an anode with an electrophoretic dispersion in between them. Pigment particles in the dispersion become charged at selected intersection areas of the X-Y matrix and migrate towards the anode to form a display image thereon by biasing the cathode negatively with respect to the anode, and the display image is erased by oppositely biasing the cathode and anode. The anode is formed with a multiplicity of parallel anode line segments corresponding to image lines of the display, and control circuitry is provided for individually controlling the potential applied to each anode line segment in order to allow selective erasure of one or more lines and rewriting of only those lines. A new image frame having a substantial portion thereof the same as a previous frame can thus be rewritten in a shorter time.

Abstract: An electrophoretic display has a grid cathode matrix arrangement consisting of a first plurality of parallel conductive lines insulated from a second plurality of parallel conductive lines transverse to said first plurality. Located with respect to the grid and cathode lines are first and second anode structures. The first anode is remote from the second with the second anode overlying the grid lines of the display and insulated therefrom. The second anode is biased to implement typical HOLD and ERASE modes independent of the first anode.

Abstract: An electrophoretic display includes a plurality of intersecting grid and cathode lines which are spaced one from the other by means of an insulating material. The grid and cathode lines are associated with an anode electrode which constitutes a planar glass plate having deposited thereon a thin layer of ITO or a similar metal. Interposed between the cathode and grid structure and the anode plate is a mesh electrode which is relatively of the same size as the anode plate. Control voltages are applied to the mesh structure and the anode electrode to further control particle propagation. The conventional anode structure may be entirely replaced with the mesh-like structure to provide an electrophoretic display which can be optimumly illuminated by back lighting.

Abstract: Driver circuit chip mounting techniques for use in the fabrication of monolithinc flat panel displays are disclosed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. According to a preferred embodiment, a driver circuit having a spot of optical cement is precisely positioned within a location of metalized, grouped and patterned row or column conductors. Thereafter collimated ultraviolet light is imaged through the display onto the rear of the driver circuit until the optical cement has become sufficiently tacky to permit the display to be inverted whereupon collimated ultraviolet light may be directly applied to complete the full curing of the optical cements.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method to enable one to deposit a thin layer of chrome to a thicker layer of an organic polymer. The surface of the organic polymer has a thin layer of silicon dioxide deposited thereon and then a thicker layer of chrome is sputtered onto said layer of silicon dioxide. This enables one to pattern and to wire bond to the chrome layer while avoiding stress cracks in the chrome as provided by prior art techniques.

Abstract: Driver circuit chip mounting techniques for use in the fabrication of monolithic flat panel displays are disclosed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. According to a preferred embodiment, a driver circuit having a spot of optical cement is precisely positioned within a location of metalized, grouped and patterned row or column conductors. Thereafter collimated ultraviolet light is imaged through the display onto the rear of the driver circuit until the optical cement has become sufficiently tacky to permit the display to be inverted whereupon collimated ultraviolet light may be directly applied to complete the full curing of the optical cements.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method which minimizes bubble growth during electrophoretic cell operation. The method involves exposing the electrophoretic suspension to an ultrasonic probe at a given frequency and amplitude and for a suitable time period just prior to pouring the suspension into the electrophoretic display. Exposure to the ultrasonic probe minimizes bubble growth during actual cell operation as the probe operates to drive out a significant amount of gas contained in the suspension while further affecting the pigment particle characteristics.