Cathode structure for field emission device
OwnerJong Soninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
To avoid arcing and shorting within a field emission device, a bottom portion of a gate electrode is protected with an insulating material to avoid or reduce arcing among the electrodes and the electron emitters in the device. In a method for manufacturing such a field emission device, an emitter hole is formed through an insulating layer such that a portion of the gate electrode overhangs the hole and is protected on its underside by the insulating layer. The device can be used in display systems, such as CNT flat panel displays.
Claims24
An electron-emitting device comprising:
- an emitter electrode;
- an insulating layer disposed over the emitter electrode, the insulating layer having an emitter hole formed therethrough;
- a plurality of electron emitters electrically coupled to the emitter electrode and situated within the emitter hole;
- and
- a gate electrode disposed over the insulating layer and overhanging the emitter hole, where at least a portion of an overhanging underside of the gate layer is electrically insulated from the electron emitters.
An electron-emitting device comprising:
- an emitter electrode;
- a plurality of electron emitters electrically coupled to the emitter electrode;
- a gate electrode disposed over the emitter electrode in proximity to the electron emitters;
- and
- means for electrically insulating at least a portion of the gate electrode from the electron emitters to reduce electrical arcing and shorting therebetween.
A display system comprising a matrix of pixels, each pixel having one or more picture elements, and for each picture element of each pixel the display system comprises:
- a color element that emits light when excited by electrons;
- and
- the electron-emitting device of any one of the previous claims, the electron-emitting device configured to emit electrons towards the color element, thereby causing the color element to emit light.
A method for forming a field emission device, comprising:
- forming an emitter electrode on a substrate;
- forming an insulating layer over the emitter electrode;
- forming a gate electrode over the insulating layer;
- and
- forming at least one emitter hole through the insulating layer so that the gate electrode overhangs the emitter hole, where at least a portion of an overhanging underside of the gate layer is electrically insulated from the electron emitters.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.