Abstract: A method for forming a housing for an electronic device (510) includes providing a first rigid layer (102, 302) including a curved surface defining a cavity (108, 308). A first adhesive (112, 312) is optionally applied over the curved surface, and an electro-optic module (105, 305) having a flexible substrate and a viewable surface (111, 311), is conformally fitted on the first adhesive (112, 312). A second adhesive (114, 314) is optionally disposed over the electro-optic module (105, 305) and a support structure (122) is optionally placed on the second adhesive (114). The support structure (122) includes an attachment apparatus (126) for mounting electronic circuitry. The first and second adhesives (112, 114) are cured. One of the second adhesive (114) or both the first rigid layer (102, 301) and the first adhesive (112) are transparent for viewing a viewable surface (111, 311) on or coupled to the electro-optic module (105, 305).

Abstract: A method is provided for in situ cleaning of spacers (42) separating an anode (14) and cathode (12) of a flat panel display (10) in a vacuum by impacting electrons upon the spacers (42).

Abstract: An electro-optical device including a cathode plate, a plurality of emitters and an anode plate. The anode plate including a photoconductive layer formed on an interior surface and in alignment to receive emitter emissions. The device is characterized as matrix addressed according to an input signal. A varying video signal, in concert with the matrix scanning of the cathode, generates a video signal containing a scene imaged by the photoconductive layer of the anode plate.

Abstract: A vacuum microelectronic device (10,40) emits electrons (37) from surfaces of nanotube emitters (17, 18). Extracting electrons from the surface of each nanotube emitter (17) results is a small voltage variation between each emitter utilized in the device (10, 40). Consequently, the vacuum microelectronic device (10,40) has a more controllable turn-on voltage and a consistent current density from each nanotube emitter (17,18).

Abstract: A vacuum microelectronic device (10,40) emits electrons (37) from surfaces of nanotube emitters (17, 18). Extracting electrons from the surface of each nanotube emitter (17) results is a small voltage variation between each emitter utilized in the device (10, 40). Consequently, the vacuum microelectronic device (10,40) has a more controllable turn-on voltage and a consistent current density from each nanotube emitter (17,18).

Abstract: A method for scrubbing and passivating an anode plate (100) of a field emission display (120) includes the steps of providing a scrubbing passivation material (127); imparting to scrubbing passivation material (127) an energy selected to cause removal of a contamination layer (123, 117) from anode plate (100); causing scrubbing passivation material (127) to be received by contamination layer (123, 117), thereby removing contamination layer (123, 117); and depositing at least a portion of scrubbing passivation material (127) on anode plate (100), thereby forming a passivation layer (129).

Abstract: A field emission device (100) includes an electron emitter (115) and an emitter-enhancing electrode (117) having an enhanced-emission structure (131), which is disposed proximate to electron emitter (115). Enhanced-emission structure (131) is embodied by, for example, each of the following structures: a tapered portion (118) of emitter-enhancing electrode (117), an electron-emissive edge (135) that is generally parallel to an axis (136) of electron emitter (115), a combination of a conductive layer (137) and an electron-emissive layer (138) that is disposed proximate to an edge (133) of conductive layer (137), and an electron-emissive layer (146) having a thickness of less than about 500 angstroms.

Abstract: A method for operating a field emission device (100) having an electron emitter (115) includes the steps of providing an emitter-enhancing electrode (117) proximate to electron emitter (115), causing emitter-enhancing electrode (117) to emit electrons, and causing the electrons emitted by emitter-enhancing electrode (117) to be received by electron emitter (115). A method for fabricating a field emission device (100) includes the steps of forming a layer (126) of dielectric material, forming emitter-enhancing electrode (117) on layer (126) of dielectric material, forming an enhanced-emission structure (131) in emitter-enhancing electrode (117), removing a portion of layer (126) of dielectric material proximate to enhanced-emission structure (131) to form a well (114, 158), and forming electron emitter (115) within well (114, 158).

Abstract: A field emission device (200) includes a structure (205) with surface material (220) having surface states, where surface states provide resonant tunneling emission of electrons (260) upon application of an electric field (250). Surface states can include edge termination states (230), which include zigzag edges (240) and armchair edges (215).

Abstract: A method for fabricating an electron-emissive film (100) includes the steps of providing a powder (124), which has a plurality of carbon nanotubes (104); providing a substrate (102), a surface (103) of which defines a plurality of interstices (107); and dry spraying powder (124) onto surface (103) of substrate (102). The adjustable parameters of the dry spraying step include a separation distance of a spray nozzle (120) from surface (103), a spray angle between a spray (121) and surface (103), and a nozzle pressure at an opening (123) of spray nozzle (120). The separation distance, spray angle, and nozzle pressure are selected to achieve, for example, uniformity of electron-emissive film (100) and adhesion of carbon nanotubes (104) to substrate (102).

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: An electron-emissive film (170, 730) is made from graphite and has a surface defining a plurality of emissive clusters (100), which are uniformly distributed over the surface. Each of the emissive clusters (100) has dendrites (110) extending radially from a central point (120). Each of the dendrites (110) has a ridge (130), which has a radius of curvature of less than 10 nm. The graphene sheets (160) that form the dendrites (110) have a (002) lattice spacing within a range of 0.342-0.350 nanometers.

Abstract: An electron emitter formed with a layer of diamond-like carbon having a diamond bond structure with an electrically active defect at an emission site. The electrically active defect acts like a very thin electron emitter with a very low work function and improved current characteristics, including in improved saturation current.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an array (300) of edge electron emitters (530) includes the steps of: forming first and second grooves (310, 320) in first and second opposing planar surfaces (101, 102), respectively, of a supporting substrate (110) to form an array of openings (330) therethrough; forming a dielectric layer (122) on the first planar surface (101) and an emission structure (120) on the dielectric layer (122); forming a plurality of cathodes (132) on the emission structure (120); forming gates (515) on a portion of the surfaces defining the first grooves (310); forming a masking film (710) on the cathodes (132)/emission structure (120); removing an outer, radial portion (726) of the masking film (710); etching the emission structure (120), the retracted masking film (710) forming a mask, thereby providing a predetermined configuration of the edge electron emitters (530) with respect to the gates (515) and cathodes (132).

Abstract: A high frequency field emission device (200, 400, 500, 600) includes a cathode (210, 410, 563, 610), a field emissive film (260, 460, 560, 660) formed on the cathode (210, 410, 563, 610), an anode (220, 420, 520, 620) spaced from the field emissive film (260, 460, 560, 660), and a control electrode (250, 450, 550, 650, 655) disposed between the anode (220, 420, 520, 620) and cathode (210, 410, 563, 610) for modulating or switching electron emission from the field emissive film (260, 460, 560, 660) according to a high frequency input signal signal.

Abstract: A field emission display (100, 200, 300) and a method of making the same are disclosed. The field emission display (100, 200, 300) includes an anode (110, 210, 310) having a plurality of cathodoluminescent deposits (120, 220, 320), a back plate (185, 285, 385) including a cathode (130, 230, 330) having a plurality of field emitters (140, 240, 340) and being affixed to a cathode reinforcement member (170, 270, 370), and a plurality of side members (150, 250, 350) disposed between the anode (110, 210, 310) and the cathode (130, 230,330) and hermetically affixed thereto. The thicknesses of the anode (110, 210, 310) and the back plate (185, 285, 385) are sufficient to provide the structural support necessary to maintain the mechanical integrity of the field emission display (100, 200, 300).

Abstract: A field emission device (200, 300, 400, 500) includes a supporting substrate (210, 310, 410, 510), a cathode (215, 315, 415, 515) formed thereon, a plurality of electron emitters (270, 370, 470, 570) and a plurality of gate extraction electrodes (250, 350, 450, 550) proximately disposed to the plurality of electron emitters (270, 370, 470, 570) for effecting electron emission therefrom, a major dielectric surface (248, 348, 448, 548) disposed between the plurality of gate extraction electrodes (250, 350, 450, 550), a charge dissipation layer (252, 352, 452, 552) formed on the major dielectric surface (248, 348, 448, 548), and an anode (280, 380, 480, 580) spaced from the gate extraction electrodes (250, 350, 450, 550).

Abstract: An electron emitter formed with a layer of diamond-like carbon having a diamond bond structure with an electrically active defect at an emission site. The electrically active defect acts like a very thin electron emitter with a very low work function and improved current characteristics, including in improved saturation current.

Abstract: An electron emitter formed with a layer of diamond-like carbon having a diamond bond structure with an electrically active defect at an emission site. The electrically active defect acts like a very thin electron emitter with a very low work function and improved current characteristics, including an improved saturation current.

Abstract: A display spacer structure includes a frame with side members joined together to define a central opening. The side members have recessed portions positioned outside of, and in communication with, the central opening with getter material therein. Spaced apart grooves are formed in each of an opposed pair of the side members, and the ends of a plurality of spacers are fixed in the grooves. The spacers extend across the central opening to define a plurality of separate compartments which are in communication with the recessed portions so as to provide a continuous fluid phase throughout all the separate compartments.