Abstract: A cold cathode field emission display is described. A key feature of its design is that each individual microtip has its own ballast resistor. The latter is formed from a resistive layer that has been interposed between the cathode line and the substrate. When openings for the microtips are formed in the gate line, extending down as far as the resistive layer, an overetching step is introduced. This causes the dielectric layer to be substantially undercut immediately above the resistive layer thereby creating an annular resistor positioned between the gate line and the base of the microtip.

Abstract: A field emission display with enhanced brightness and contrast, and a method for making such a display, is described. The display has a backplate and an opposing face plate, where a glass plate acts as a base for the faceplate. A patterned layer of transparent conductive material is formed over the glass plate, and acts as an anode for the display. There is a plurality of phosphorescent elements formed over the anode. Openings extending between the phosphorescent elements and through the anode. The baseplate, formed on a substrate, is mounted opposite and parallel to the faceplate. There is a reflective, conductive layer over the substrate. A plurality of electron-emitting tips are formed on the baseplate, extend through openings in the reflective, conductive layer, and are formed directly opposite to the phosphorescent elements, and are divided into smaller groups, or pixels. There is black matrix material over the anode around the periphery of each of the pixels.

Abstract: A high resolution matrix addressed flat panel display having single field emission microtip redundancy is formed. A dielectric base substrate is provided. Parallel, spaced conductors acting as cathode columns for the display are formed upon the substrate. A layer of insulation is located over the cathode columns. Parallel, spaced conductors acting as gate lines for the display is formed over the layer of insulation at a right angle to the cathode columns. The intersections of the cathode columns and gate lines are the pixels of the display. A plurality of openings at the pixels extend through the insulating layer and gate lines. At each of the pixels are a plurality of field emission microtips connected to and extending up from the cathode conductor columns and into the plurality of openings. There is a circular resistive layer surrounding each of the field emission microtips to obtain emission uniformity by sustaining the cathode to gate voltage.