Selectively shaped field emission electron beam source, and phosphor array for use therewith
AssigneeFED Corporation
InventorGary W. Jones
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A field emitter device for selective emission of an electron and/or ion beam comprising a substrate member having an array of field emitter elements thereon, in which the field emitter elements and/or substrate member have a varied conformation producing a beam of appropriate focused and/or directional character. Also disclosed is a display article for producing an output in response to impingement of electron beams thereon, comprising a substrate member on which is disposed an array of phosphor elements, with a diamond-like film coated on the phosphor elements to maintain the phosphor elements in position on the substrate member. Also disclosed is a field emission apparatus comprising such field emitter device and display article, such as a flat panel display.
Claims19
A field emitter device for the selective emission of an electron and/or ion beam when turn-on voltage is applied thereto, comprising a substrate member having an array of field emitter elements thereon, wherein at least one of the field emitter elements and substrate member has a varied conformation producing a beam with at least one characteristic of higher intensity and different directional character than a corresponding field emitter device wherein the field emitter elements and substrate member has a uniform conformation, and wherein the varied conformation comprises at least one structural feature selected from the group consisting of:
- (i) a varying density of emitter elements on the substrate member;
- (ii) an electrical resistance-varying composition of the field emitter elements, which is variable among the field emitter elements of the array, or sub-array portions thereof;
- (iii) an electrical resistance-varying composition of the substrate member or portions thereof;
- (iv) an electrical resistance-varying material interposed between the substrate member and at least some of the field emitter elements of the array;
- (v) varying height amount the field emitter elements of the array, wherein the array comprises vertically upwardly extending columnar field emitter elements;
- and
- (vi) a non-planar shape of the substrate member over at least a portion of its surface area having the field emitter elements disposed thereon.
A display article, for producing an output in response to impingement of electron beams thereon, said beams being produced by electron emitting means, and said beams being focused by focusing means, comprising a substrate member on which is disposed an array of phosphor elements, with a diamond-like film coated on the phosphor elements to maintain the phosphor elements in position on the substrate member.
A field emission flat panel display, including:
- an electron beam source means comprising a substrate member, an array of field emitter elements disposed thereon, and at least one gate electrode for said array, wherein at least one of the field emitter elements and the substrate member have a varied conformation producing a beam having at least one of the enhanced characteristics selected from the group consisting of higher intensity and a different directional character as compared with a field emitter device having uniformly conformed field emitter elements and substrate members;
- and
- an anode structure comprising a second substrate member in spaced relationship to the field emitter elements, and in charged particle-receiving relationship therewith, having disposed on the second substrate member an array of phosphor elements, with a diamond-like film deposited on the phosphor elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.