Abstract: A display device includes an illuminating device having an optical waveguide plate for introducing light thereinto, a drive assembly having a planar array of actuators disposed in facing relation to the optical waveguide plate, a displacement transmitter assembly disposed between the optical waveguide plate and the drive assembly, and a light scattering layer disposed on the displacement transmitter assembly. The actuators are selectively displaceable to bring the light scattering layer into and out of contact with the optical waveguide plate, for controlling light that leaks from the optical waveguide plate as emitted light. The display device also includes an optical modulator for modulating the emitted light from the illuminating device to display an image. The illuminating device has a light reflecting layer disposed on at least a portion of the displacement transmitter assembly that confronts the optical waveguide plate.

Abstract: An electron emitter has an electric field receiving member formed on a substrate, a cathode electrode formed on one surface of the electric field receiving member, and an anode electrode formed on the one surface of the electric field receiving member, with a slit defined between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode. The electric field receiving member is made of a dielectric material. The electron emitter also has a modulation circuit for modulating a pulse signal applied between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode based on a control signal supplied from a controller such as a CPU to control at least an amount of emitted electrons.

Abstract: An electron-emitting element is provided, including an electric field applying portion composed of a dielectric, a first electrode formed on one surface of the electric field applying portion, and a second electrode formed on the surface and forming a slit in cooperation with the first electrode, and which is formed on a substrate.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive device is provided including a functional element. The functional element includes a base portion, a deformable portion assuming the form of a thin plate and extending from the base portion to thereby form a plane, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element formed on the deformable portion, and a reflective portion extending from the deformable portion so as to form an active plane intersecting with the plane of the deformable portion and having a light-reflecting member disposed on the active plane. Operation of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive element causes the deformable portion to be deformed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the deformable portion to thereby change a reflection angle of light reflected from the reflective portion.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a piezoelectric/electrostrictive device including a driving portion, a movable portion, and a fixing portion for holding the driving portion and the movable portion. The driving portion includes a pair of thin plate portions facing each other, and a film-like piezoelectric/electrostrictive element formed on at least a part of the outer surface of at least one of the thin plate portions. A ceramic green laminate including at least one ceramic green sheet constituting one of the thin plates and at least one ceramic green sheet having at least one hole formed thereon is formed. The ceramic green laminate is sintered to produce a ceramic laminate. A piezoelectric/electrostrictive element is formed by a film formation method on the outer surface of the thin plate portion of the ceramic laminate. The ceramic laminate is then cut with the piezoelectric/electrostrictive element formed thereon.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive device is provided, including a pair of mutually opposing thin plate sections and a fixation section for supporting the thin plate sections. A piezoelectric/electrostrictive element is arranged on each of the thin plate sections.

Abstract: A crosspiece precursor and a picture element assembly precursor are hardened at mutually different timings to form a crosspiece and a picture element assembly. For example, the crosspiece precursor is firstly hardened to form the crosspiece. After that, the picture element assembly precursor is hardened while allowing an upper end surface of the picture element assembly precursor to make pressed contact with an optical waveguide plate, by displacing an actuator element toward an actuator substrate. The picture element assembly, which is formed by hardening the picture element assembly precursor, reliably abuts against the optical waveguide plate when a display device is in a light emission state.

Abstract: An electron emitter 10A has an emitter 12 made of a dielectric material and an upper electrode 14 and a lower electrode 16 for being supplied with a drive voltage Va for emitting electrons. The upper electrode 14 is disposed on an upper surface of the emitter, and the lower electrode 16 is disposed on a lower surface of the emitter 12. The upper electrode 14 has a plurality of through regions 20 through which the emitter 12 is exposed. Each of the through regions 20 of the upper electrode 14 has a peripheral portion 26 having a surface facing the emitter 12 and spaced from the emitter 12.

Abstract: An electron emitter has an emitter section formed on a substrate, a cathode electrode formed on one surface of the emitter section, and an anode electrode formed on the same one surface of the emitter section and cooperating with the cathode electrode in providing a slit. A pulse generation source applies a drive voltage between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode. The anode electrode is connected to GND (ground). The slit has a width in the range from 0.1 ?m to 50 ?m.

Abstract: An electron emitter has an emitter made of a dielectric material and an upper electrode and a lower electrode for being supplied with a drive voltage for emitting electrons. The upper electrode is disposed on an upper surface of the emitter, and the lower electrode is disposed on a lower surface of the emitter. The upper electrode has a plurality of through regions through which the emitter is exposed. Each of the through regions of the upper electrode has a peripheral portion having a surface facing the emitter and spaced from the emitter.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive device includes a pair of mutually opposing thin plate sections, a movable section, and a fixation section for supporting the thin plate sections and the movable section. One or more piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements are arranged on the pair of thin plate sections. A hole is formed by both inner walls of the pair of thin plate sections, an inner wall of the movable section, and an inner wall of the fixation section. At least one thin plate section of the pair of thin plate sections is previously bent in a direction to make mutual approach so that it has an inwardly convex configuration to the hole.

Abstract: An actuator element has a plate member, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive body disposed in facing, relation to the plate member, and a beam disposed between the plate member and the piezoelectric/electrostrictive body and fixing the piezoelectric/electrostrictive body to the plate member. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive body has a piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer, an upper electrode formed on a surface of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer which faces the plate member, and a lower electrode formed on a surface of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer which is opposite to the surface thereof facing the plate member. When an electric field is applied to the upper electrode and the lower electrode, a portion of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive body is displaced toward or away from the plate member.

Abstract: A display device comprises an actuator substrate which has actuator elements, an optical waveguide plate, crosspieces which intervene between the optical waveguide plate and the actuator substrate and which surround the actuator element, and picture element assemblies which are joined onto the actuator elements. The picture element assembly includes a transparent layer which makes contact with the optical waveguide plate or which stands close to the optical waveguide plate, and a color layer which is arranged under the transparent layer. An opposed area of the transparent layer opposed to the optical waveguide plate is identical with or smaller than a projected area of the color layer.

Abstract: An electron emitter includes an emitter element made of a dielectric material, and an upper electrode and a lower electrode. A drive voltage is applied between the upper electrode and the lower electrode for emitting electrons from the emitter element. The upper electrode is formed on an upper surface of the emitter element, and the lower electrode is formed on a lower surface of the emitter element. The emitter element is exposed through a plurality of through regions of the upper electrode. Peripheral surfaces around the through regions facing the emitter element are spaced from the emitter element.

Abstract: A microdevice has an electron emitter including a memory for accumulating electric charges corresponding to an input voltage, for emitting electrons corresponding to the electric charges accumulated in said memory; and an amplifier connected to a power supply and including a collector electrode for capturing the electrons emitted from the electron emitter. The atmosphere between at least the electron emitter and the collector electrode is a vacuum. When the electrons emitted from the electron emitter are captured by the collector electrode of the amplifier, a collector current flows between the collector electrode and the electron emitter to amplify the input voltage.

Abstract: An electron emitter includes an emitter section having a plate shape, a cathode electrode formed on a front surface of the emitter section, and an anode electrode formed on a back surface of the emitter section. A gap is formed between an outer peripheral portion of the cathode electrode and the front surface of the emitter section. The front surface of the emitter section contacts a lower surface of the outer peripheral portion to form a base end as a triple junction. The gap expands from the base end toward a tip end of the outer peripheral portion.

Abstract: An electron emitter has an emitter made of a dielectric material, and an upper electrode and a lower electrode to which a drive voltage is applied to emit electrons. The upper electrode is formed on a first surface of the substance serving as the emitter, and the lower electrode is formed on a second surface of the substance serving as the emitter. The upper electrode has a plurality of through regions through which the emitter is exposed. The upper electrode has a surface which faces the emitter in peripheral portions of the through regions and which is spaced from the emitter.

Abstract: An electron emitter has an emitter made of a dielectric material and an upper electrode and a lower electrode for being supplied with a drive voltage for emitting electrons. The upper electrode is disposed on an upper surface of the emitter, and the lower electrode is disposed on a lower surface of the emitter. The upper electrode has a plurality of through regions through which the emitter is exposed. Each of the through regions of the upper electrode has a peripheral portion having a surface facing the emitter and spaced from the emitter.

Abstract: An electron emitter includes a lower electrode formed on a glass substrate, an emitter section made of dielectric film formed on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode formed on the emitter section. A drive voltage for electron emission is applied between the upper electrode and the lower electrode. At least the upper electrode has a plurality of through regions through which the emitter section is exposed. The upper electrode has a surface which faces the emitter section in peripheral portions of the through regions and which is spaced from the emitter section.

Abstract: An electron emitter has an anode electrode formed on a substrate, an electric field receiving member formed on the substrate to cover the anode electrode, and a cathode electrode formed on the electric field receiving member. The cathode electrode is supplied with a drive signal from a pulse generation source, and the anode electrode is connected to an anode potential generation source (GND in this example). A collector electrode is provided above the cathode electrode, and the collector electrode is coated with a fluorescent layer. The collector electrode is connected to a collector potential generation source (Vc in this example) through a resistor.