# US 5,344,352 A · Method of manufacturing a pointed electrode, and device for using said method

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- Number: US 5,344,352 A
- Document ID: US5344352A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/039,610
- Filed: 1993-03-24
- Granted: 1994-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 1992-04-02
- Assignees: U.S. Philips Corporation
- Inventors: Remko Horne; Cornelius A. Van Den Heuvel; Gerardus N. A. Van Veen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5344352A

## CPC

- H01J 37/34: operating with cathodic sputtering (H01J37/36 takes precedence {; methods of cathodic sputtering C23C14/34})
- H01J 9/025: {of field emission cathodes}
- H01J 37/3447: {Collimators, shutters, apertures}
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)

## Abstract

The manufacture of pointed electrodes (28) (field emitters) is considerably simplified by a directed sputtering deposition instead of by vapor deposition. Directed deposition of the material (12) to be sputtered can be effected by means of a collimating filter (4) and, if necessary, a cover plate (8).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of manufacturing, on a substrate, at least one electrode whose cross-section parallel to a main surface of the substrate is larger at the base than at the top, the method comprising depositing material for forming the electrode on an apertured mask parallel to a main surface of the substrate and on the substrate via the aperture, the material on the mask also growing in a lateral direction within the aperture during deposition, characterized in that the deposition is at least partially carried out by sputtering in a direction substantially perpendicular to the main surface of the substrate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the material to be sputtered or a constituent thereof, is in the form of particles obtained in a particle generator having an exit aperture, and in that the particles are collimated prior to deposition in a particle-collimating filter present between the exit aperture and the mask.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the particles are additionally collimated in a cover plate present between the particle-collimating filter and the mask, said cover plate, viewed in a cross-section of the filter perpendicular to the axis of the filter, having apertures of substantially the same size as the particle-passing apertures.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A method as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that during sputtering the substrate is moved with respect to the sputtering source and/or the filter within the plane of the substrate.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

A method as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the electrodes are manufactured in a plurality of steps, with particle-collimating filters being used in consecutive steps, whose apertures passing the particles, viewed in a cross-section, have smaller sizes in consecutive steps.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

A method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the particle-collimating filter is present on the mask.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

A method as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that during sputtering the substrate is moved with respect to the sputtering source and/or the filter within the plane of the substrate.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

A method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that during sputtering the substrate is moved with respect to the sputtering source and/or the filter within the plane of the substrate.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

A method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that during deposition, a plurality of particle-collimating filters having consecutively smaller sized apertures, are used in consecutive steps.