Abstract: A method of manufacturing a tri-plate vacuum-sealed field emission type display facilitates mass production ex-situ. The method is based on a plate including an anode plate, a backing plate including at least one sealed access orifice, and a cathode/substrate plate secured between the anode plate and the backing plate. The cathode/substrate plate is vented in the active area, with a multitude of pass-through apertures, each aperture being conically shaped to optimize uninterrupted travel of damaging gas molecules to a getter located on the opposite side. Before sealing the access orifice in the backing plate, the orifice is used to decontaminate the inside of the display with a cleaning gas and to insert a granule form of getter.