Abstract: A display device comprises a light guide and a movable element. By locally exerting a force on the movable element by means of selection means, optical contact between the movable element and the light guide can be brought about. Light emanates from the display device at the locations where optical contact takes place. Measures are taken to employ the force exerted by the selection means as efficiently as possible. This can be achieved by making the force act at the location where the optical contact takes place and/or by reducing other adhesive forces (caused, inter alia, by differences in pressure, static charging, surface stresses, van der Waals' forces and/or chemical forces).

Abstract: A display device includes an ultraviolet light (UV light) source, a light guide; a movable element; phosphor elements, including phosphor particles in an embedding material, that emit visible light at different colors when excited by UV light; and electrodes arranged so that electric voltage applied to the electrodes can generate an electric field to move the movable element into contact with the light guide to couple light out of the light guide.

Abstract: A display device comprises a light guide and a movable element. By locally exerting a force on the movable element by means of selection means, optical contact between the movable element and the light guide can be brought about. Light emanates from the display device at the locations where optical contact takes place. Measures are taken to employ the force exerted by the selection means as efficiently as possible. This can be achieved by making the force act at the location where the optical contact takes place and/or by reducing other adhesive forces (caused, inter alia, by differences in pressure, static charging, surface stresses, van der Waals' forces and/or chemical forces).

Abstract: A display device comprises a light guide and a movable element. By locally exerting a force on the movable element by means of selection means, optical contact between the movable element and the light guide can be brought about. Light emanates from the display device at the locations where optical contact takes place. Measures are taken to employ the force exerted by the selection means as efficiently as possible. This can be achieved by making the force act at the location where the optical contact takes place and/or by reducing other adhesive forces (caused, inter alia, by differences in pressure, static charging, surface stresses, van der Waals' forces and/or chemical forces).

Abstract: A display device is provided with a source for UV radiation. The UV radiation is led into a light guide, and at addressed position(s) where a movable element makes contact with the light guide, the UV light exits the light guide and enters the movable element. The movable element is provided with scattering particles which scatter more efficiently in the light than in visible light. Scattered UV light impinges on UV-sensitive phosphor elements. In alternative embodiments, the movable element is provided with phosphor particles embedded in the material of the movable element.

Abstract: A cathode ray tube comprising an electron source and an electron beam guidance cavity having an input aperture and an output aperture, wherein at least a part of the wall of the electron beam guidance cavity near the output aperture comprises an insulating material having a secondary emission coefficient &dgr;1 for cooperation with the cathode. Furthermore, the cathode ray tube comprises a first electrode connectable to a first voltage source for applying, in operation, an electric field with a first field strength E1 between the cathode and the output aperture. &dgr;1 and E1 have values which enable electron transport through the electron beam guidance cavity. A second electrode is placed between the cathode and the cavity. The second electrode is connected to a second voltage source for applying, in operation, an electric field with a second field strength E2 between the cathode and the second electrode for controlling the emission of electrons.

Abstract: A display device has a light source and a display part including a light guide, a movable element, and selection means to locally and selectively bring the movable element into contact with the light guide to couple light out of the light guide. The light source is a UV radiation source. The movable element includes means for scattering UV light. The display device includes phosphor elements for emitting visible light at different colors when excited by UV radiation. The phosphor elements include phosphor particles in an embedding material.

Abstract: A display device has row (5) and column (6) electrodes and a movable element (3) and means (17) for supplying voltages to the electrodes. The means supply, in operation, such voltages to the electrodes that use is made of the memory effect of the movable element. More in particular, the electrodes are, in operation, supplied with “on”, “off” and “hold” voltages. Simultaneous application of “on” voltages turns a pixel on, simultaneous application of “off” voltages turns a pixel off. Application of a “hold” voltage on either of the electrodes preserves the state of the pixel.

Abstract: Picture display device having a vacuum envelope with a face plate whose inner side is provided with a luminescent screen having a repetitive pattern of triplets of red, green and blue-luminescing phosphor elements, a rear plate at a short distance therefrom and in the space therebetween a plurality of electron emitters and juxtaposed, electron ducts cooperating therewith and having walls of substantially electrically insulating material having a secondary emission coefficient suitable for electron transport for transporting, through vacuum, produced electrons in the form of electron currents. Means are provided for withdrawing each electron current at predetermined locations from its duct and for directing this current towards a desired location on the luminescent screen for producing a picture composed of pixels.

Abstract: Thin-panel picture display device having a luminescent screen and a large emitting plane electron source, such as a large number of juxtaposed electron propagation ducts operating by means of wall interaction of electrons. By means of an addressing system, electrons extracted from ducts are directed towards desired locations on the luminescent screen. The addressing system comprises a preselection system and a fine-selection system with an intermediate spacer plate of insulating material provided with apertures for passing electrons arranged in between. To provide the possibility of applying large voltage differences across the thickness of the spacer plate, the walls of the apertures are at least partly coated with a coating of a low .delta. material having a low secondary emission coefficient (.delta..sub.max .ltoreq.3.5), particularly Si.sub.3 N.sub.4, AlN, Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3 or Y.sub.2 O.sub.3.

Abstract: Flat-panel type picture display device having a luminescent screen and a large number of electron propagation ducts operating by means of electron wall interaction. Electrons are withdrawn from the ducts by means of an addressing system, whereafter these electrons are directed towards desired locations on the luminescent screen. An apertured spacer plate of electrically insulating material for passing electrons is arranged between the addressing system and the screen. To enable large voltage differences to be applied across the dimension of thickness of the spacer plate, the spacer plate is provided with a high-ohmic layer, or with a pattern of a low-ohmic material, or with an equalization layer at one side and with a low-ohmic layer at the other side, and at least the walls of the apertures are preferably coated with a material having a low secondary emission.

Abstract: A picture display device has a vacuum envelope and is provided with a face plate whose inner side supports a luminescent screen, a rear wall situated at a short distance therefrom, and the space in-between accommodating a plurality of electron sources, which cooperate with a plurality of electron transport duct including dielectric walls fro transporting, through vacuum, the produced electrons towards positions at a small distance from the luminescent screen. The display device further includes means for reducing the effects of undesired charge transfer of the duct walls, which are provided to improve the start-up and/or steady state electron transport conditions. Specifically, the outer sides of the duct rear walls are provided with a conductor to which an initiation potential is applied, which is equal to or higher than the potential applied for producing the electron transport field.

Abstract: A picture display device having a flat vacuum envelope which is provided with a transparent face plate with a luminescent screen and with a rear wall, which display device has an electron supply section with an electron source for emitting electron currents in a direction parallel to the face plate, and an active selection electrode section with first, preselection, electrodes and second, fine-selection, electrodes, located closer to the screen, for directing each electron current towards desired pixels on the luminescent screen. The fine-selection electrodes are divided into groups and corresponding fine-selection electrodes of at least two groups are interconnected in a series or parallel arrangement in such a way that the technology of providing these electrodes is as simple as possible and/or the possible fine-selection electrode patterns are such that the number of required selection drivers can be reduced considerably.

Abstract: A picture display device has a vacuum envelope and is provided with a face plate whose inner side supports a luminescent screen, a rear wall situated at a short distance therefrom, and the space in-between accommodating a plurality of electron sources, which cooperate with a plurality of electron transport ducts including dielectric walls for transporting, through vacuum, the produced electrons towards positions at a small distance from the luminescent screen. The display device further includes means for reducing the effects of undesired charge transfer of the duct walls, which are provided to improve the start-up and/or steady state electron transport conditions. Specifically, the outer sides of the duct rear walls are provided with a conductor to which an initiation potential is applied, which is equal to or higher than the potential applied for producing the electron transport field.

Abstract: Flat-panel type picture display device having a luminescent screen and a large number of electron propagation ducts operating by means of electron wall interaction. Electrons are withdrawn from the ducts by means of an addressing system, whereafter these electrons are directed towards desired locations on the luminescent screen. An apertured spacer plate of electrically insulating material for passing electrons is arranged between the addressing system and the screen. To enable large voltage differences to be applied across the dimension of thickness of the spacer plate, the spacer plate is provided with a high-ohmic layer, or with a pattern of a low-ohmic material, or with an equalization layer at one side and with a low-ohmic layer at the other side, and at least the walls of the apertures are preferably coated with a material having a low secondary emission.

Abstract: Flat-panel type picture display device having a luminescent screen and a large number of electron propagation ducts operating by means of electron wall interaction. Electrons are withdrawn from the ducts by means of an addressing system, whereafter these electrons are directed towards desired locations on the luminescent screen. An apertured spacer plate of electrically insulating material for passing electrons is arranged between the addressing system and the screen. To enable large voltage differences to be applied across the dimension of thickness of the spacer plate, the spacer plate is provided with a high-ohmic layer, or with a pattern of a low-ohmic material, or with an equalization layer at one side and with a low-ohmic layer at the other side, and at least the walls of the apertures are preferably coated with a material having a low secondary emission.

Abstract: The thin-type display device (1) with a vacuum envelope has a transparent front wall (3), which is provided with a display screen, and at least an electron source (5) and a duct structure, which cooperates with the electron source (5) and which extends substantially parallel to the front wall (3). Ducts (6, 6', 6") of the duct structure serve as electron-propagation means and are provided with walls (11, 11', 11") of an electrically insulating material having a secondary emission coefficient which is suitable for electron propagation. In the display device (1) 1.ltoreq.s/w.ltoreq.5 and s.multidot.w.gtoreq.5 mm.sup.2, where s is the depth of the ducts (6, 6', 6") and w is the width of the ducts (6, 6', 6"). Preferably, the width w.gtoreq.1.5 mm and the depth 3.5.ltoreq.s.ltoreq.15 mm. The voltage difference over the length of the ducts (6, 6', 6"), measured parallel to the front wall (3), is less than 75 V/cm, preferably less than 40 V/cm.

Abstract: A display device including a vacuum envelope having an electroluminescent screen, an electron source and a branched network of electron-transport ducts having at least one entrance for electrons and at least two exits at end portions of the network. An electron current flows from the entrance to a desired one of the exits via nodes in the network. The network exits corresponding to one entrance form a two or three dimensional array of exits. Preferably, the distance, via the network, between an entrance and its corresponding exits is equal.

Abstract: A flat display device is provided with a wire cathode or wire cathodes and with apertures which allow passage of electrons emitted by the wire cathode. The wire cathode is stretched in a wire-cathode support having positioning grooves for the wire cathode. This support engages the element in which the passages are made. The support and the element are provided with corresponding contacting surfaces.

Abstract: Flat-panel type picture display device having a luminescent screen and a large number of electron propagation ducts operating by means of electron wall interaction. Electrons are withdrawn from the ducts by means of an addressing system, whereafter these electrons are directed towards desired locations on the luminescent screen. An apertured spacer plate of electrically insulating material for passing electrons is arranged between the addressing system and the screen. To enable large voltage differences to be applied across the dimension of thickness of the spacer plate, the spacer plate is provided with a high-ohmic layer, or with a pattern of a low-ohmic material, or with an equalization layer at one side and with a low-ohmic layer at the other side, and at least the walls of the apertures are preferably coated with a material having a low secondary emission.