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: An apparatus for removing contaminants from a display device is disclosed. In one embodiment, an auxiliary chamber is adapted to be coupled to a surface of a display device such that contaminants within the display device can travel from the display device into the auxiliary chamber. A getter is disposed in the auxiliary chamber. The getter is adapted to capture the contaminants once the contaminants travel from the display device into the auxiliary chamber. In other embodiments, the getter is disposed in the border region surrounding the active area of the display.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing contaminants from a display device using an auxiliary chamber, and a method for attaching the auxiliary chamber to the display device. In one embodiment, an auxiliary chamber is adapted to be coupled to a surface of a display device. The auxiliary chamber is adapted to be coupled to the surface of the display device such that contaminants within the display device can travel from the display device into the auxiliary chamber. The auxiliary chamber further includes a getter which is disposed therein. The getter is adapted to capture the contaminants once the contaminants travel from the display device into the auxiliary chamber. In so doing, the present invention eliminates the need for getter material to be placed within the active area of the display device. As a result, the present invention increases the usable amount of space available within the display device. This extra space can then be utilized by features such as, for example, additional field emitters.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing contaminants from a display device is disclosed. In one embodiment, an auxiliary chamber is adapted to be coupled to a surface of a display device such that contaminants within the display device can travel from the display device into the auxiliary chamber. A getter is disposed in the auxiliary chamber. The getter is adapted to capture the contaminants once the contaminants travel from the display device into the auxiliary chamber. In other embodiments, the getter is disposed in the border region surrounding the active area of the display.

Abstract: A field emission display having an improved operational life. In one embodiment of the present invention, the field emission display comprises a plurality of row lines, a plurality of column lines, and a plurality of electron emissive elements disposed at intersections of the plurality of row lines and column lines, a column driver circuit, and a row driver circuit. The column driver circuit is coupled to drive column voltage signals over the plurality of column lines; and, the row driver circuit is coupled to activate and deactivate the plurality of row lines with row voltage signals. Significantly, according to the present invention, operational life of the field emission display is substantially extended when the electron emissive elements are intermittently reverse-biased by the column voltage signals and the row voltage signals. In another embodiment, the row driver circuit is responsive to a SLEEP signal.

Abstract: A field emission display having an improved operational life. In one embodiment of the present invention, the field emission display comprises a plurality of row lines, a plurality of column lines, and a plurality of electron emissive elements disposed at intersections of the plurality of row lines and column lines, a column driver circuit, and a row driver circuit. The column driver circuit is coupled to drive column voltage signals over the plurality of column lines; and, the row driver circuit is coupled to activate and deactivate the plurality of row lines with row voltage signals. Significantly, according to the present invention, operational life of the field emission display is substantially extended when the electron emissive elements are intermittently reverse-biased by the column voltage signals and the row voltage signals. In another embodiment, the row driver circuit is responsive to a SLEEP signal.

Abstract: A getter (74) is situated in an auxiliary compartment (72) of a hollow structure (40-46 and 76) having a larger main compartment (70). The auxiliary compartment is situated outside the main compartment and is connected to the main compartment so that the two compartments reach largely the same steady-state compartment pressure. The getter is activated by directing light energy locally through part of the hollow structure and onto the getter. The light energy is typically furnished by a laser beam (60). The getter, typically of the non-evaporable type, is usually inserted as a single piece of gettering material into the auxiliary compartment. The getter normally can be activated/re-activated multiple times in this manner, typically during sealing of different parts of the structure together.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing contaminants from a display device using an auxiliary chamber, and a method for attaching the auxiliary chamber to the display device. In one embodiment, an auxiliary chamber is adapted to be coupled to a surface of a display device. The auxiliary chamber is adapted to be coupled to the surface of the display device such that contaminants within the display device can travel from the display device into the auxiliary chamber. The auxiliary chamber further includes a getter which is disposed therein. The getter is adapted to capture the contaminants once the contaminants travel from the display device into the auxiliary chamber. In so doing, the present invention eliminates the need for getter material to be placed within the active area of the display device. As a result, the present invention increases the usable amount of space available within the display device. This extra space can then be utilized by features such as, for example, additional field emitters.

Abstract: A getter (50) situated in a cavity of a hollow structure (40-46), such as a flat-panel device, is activated by directing light energy locally through part of a hollow structure and onto the getter. The light energy is typically provided by a laser beam (60). The getter, typically of the non-evaporable type, is usually inserted as a single piece of gettering material into the cavity. The getter normally can be activated/re-activated multiple times in this manner, typically during the sealing of different parts of the structure together.

Abstract: A field emission display having an improved operational life. In one embodiment of the present invention, the field emission display comprises a plurality of row lines, a plurality of column lines, and a plurality of electron emissive elements disposed at intersections of the plurality of row lines and column lines, a column driver circuit, and a row driver circuit. The column driver circuit is coupled to drive column voltage signals over the plurality of column lines; and, the row driver circuit is coupled to activate and deactivate the plurality of row lines with row voltage signals. Significantly, according to the present invention, operational life of the field emission display is substantially extended when the electron emissive elements are intermittently reverse-biased by the column voltage signals and the row voltage signals. In another embodiment, the row driver circuit is responsive to a SLEEP signal.

Abstract: A flat-panel device, typically a flat-panel display, contains a main compartment (46) formed with a first plate structure (40), a second plate structure (42), and an outer wall (44) that extends between the plate structures. A getter (94) is situated in an auxiliary compartment (92) formed with an auxiliary wall (96) that contacts the first plate structure outside the main compartment, extends away from the first plate structure and main compartment, bends back towards the second plate structure, and contacts the second plate structure outside the main compartment. Control circuitry (84/86) is typically situated over the first plate structure outside the compartments. The auxiliary compartment does not extend significantly further away from the first plate structure than the control circuitry.