Abstract: A cold cathode field emission device is described. A key feature of its design is that groups of microtips share a single conductive disk with a reliable ballast resistor being interposed between each of these conductive disks and the cathode conductor. Additionally, a resistor, rather than a conductor, is used to connect the gate conductive disk to the gate electrode. The latter is arranged so as not to overlap with the cathode electrode. The cathode and gate conductive disks ensure that the ballast resistance asociated with each microtip is essentially the same.

Abstract: With a view to reducing the gate voltage in Field Emission Devices, three different methods for reducing the diameter of the gate opening in such devices are described. In the first method, metal is deposited on the gate electrode (which is made of polysilicon or amorphous silicon) at an oblique angle of incidence so that the vertical wall of the opening is coated, but not its lower surface. In the second method, all exposed surfaces are coated with metal. For both methods, metal is then removed from all non-polysilicon surfaces through a silicidation step followed by selective etching. In the third method, the gate electrode is selectively coated with a layer of tungsten. In all cases, a uniform reduction of the gate opening is achieved.

Abstract: The field emission device includes, in addition to the main, conventional array of field emission devices and its associated driving circuits, an additional, separate, pixel-sized group of field emission devices close to, but separated from, said main array. Electrons emitted by the additional pixel are collected on a separate, non-fluorescent, anode, and additional circuitry is provided, including a feedback loop from a detector of the additional pixel's cathode current to the gate voltage supply of the main array. Consequently, the voltage of the gate lines varies in inverse proportion to the cathode current of the additional pixel. This results in a display whose brightness is constant even when turned on for the first time or after a period of idleness. A method for manufacturing the device is also available.