Field emission backlight unit, method of driving the same, and method of manufacturing lower panel

A field emission backlight unit, comprising:

• a lower substrate;
• first and second electrodes alternately formed in parallel lines on the lower substrate;
• first emitters interposed between the lower substrate and the first electrodes, and second emitters interposed between the lower substrate and the second electrodes;
• an upper substrate spaced a predetermined distance from the lower substrate and facing the lower substrate;
• a third electrode formed on a bottom surface of the upper substrate;
• and
• a phosphor layer formed on the third electrode.

A method of driving a triode-type field emission backlight unit which includes a lower substrate on which first electrodes, second electrodes and emitters disposed between the first and second electrodes, respectively, are formed, and on which the lower substrate is formed, said triode-type field emission backlight unit further including an upper substrate on which a third electrode is formed, the method comprising the steps of:

• applying a cathode voltage to the first electrodes, a gate voltage to the second electrodes, and an anode voltage to the third electrode so as to emit electrons from the emitters disposed between the first electrodes and the lower substrate;
• applying a gate voltage to the first electrodes, a cathode voltage to the second electrodes, and an anode voltage to the third electrode so as to emit electrons from the emitters disposed between the second electrodes and the lower substrate;
• and
• repeating the above steps.

A method of manufacturing a lower panel of a field emission backlight unit, the method comprising the steps of:

• forming a patterned CNT layer on a transparent substrate using a screen-printing method;
• performing one of drying and firing on the CNT layer;
• patterning a conductive thick film in a plurality of parallel lines to form alternating first and second electrodes using a screen-printing method so that the CNT layer is partially covered by both edges of at least the first electrodes;
• and
• drying and firing the conductive thick film.