US 5,669,802 A · Fabrication process for dual carrier display device

Abstract

A microelectronic light-emitting device (10) is made with dual lateral thin-film emitters (35 and 40) substantially parallel to a substrate (20). A region containing phosphor (50) extends between the two emitters and contacts them. A fabrication process is specially adapted to produce the light-emitting devices and/or arrays of light-emitting devices. The process allows the use of conductive or insulating base or starting substrates. In a preferred process, these steps are performed: an insulating substrate is provided; an ultra-thin conductive emitter film is deposited over the insulating substrate and patterned; an insulating layer is deposited over the emitter film; conductive contacts are made through the insulating layer to the emitter film; a trench opening is etched through the insulating layer and emitter film, thus forming and automatically aligning two emitting edges of two emitters; a phosphor is deposited into the trench opening and optionally planarized; and means are provided for applying an electrical bias to the two emitter contacts, sufficient to cause injection of carriers from the emitting edges of the emitters into the phosphor.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A fabrication process for microelectronic light-producing devices, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a base substrate;
(b) if necessary, disposing a substrate-insulating layer on said base substrate to form a substrate having an insulating surface;
(c) disposing and patterning a conductive thin film parallel to said base substrate;
(d) providing an opening through said conductive thin film, thus dividing said conductive thin film into at least first and second portions to form first and second electrodes respectively, while forming a first edge on said first electrode and a second edge on said second electrode;
(e) filling said opening at least partially with a phosphor, at least until said phosphor contacts said first and second edges;
and
(f) providing means for applying bias voltages to said first and second electrodes, said bias voltages being sufficient to inject first carriers from said first electrode and to inject second carriers from said second electrode into said phosphor to induce light emission therefrom.

4 more elements

A fabrication process for a microelectronic light producing device, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a base substrate of silicon;
(b) growing a first insulating film of about 1000 nanometers of silicon oxide on said base substrate to form a substrate having an insulating surface;
(c) disposing and patterning a conductive thin film of chromium of about 15 nanometers thickness parallel to said base substrate;
(d) depositing about 200 nanometers of a second insulating film of silicon oxide over said conductive thin film;
(e) forming contact openings through said second insulating film of silicon oxide, said contact openings being at least partially aligned with said conductive thin film, said contact openings being spaced apart from each other and said contact openings extending at least to said conductive thin film;
(f) filling said contact openings with aluminum to contact said conductive thin film;
(g) planarizing the resulting surface of said second insulating film of silicon oxide and said aluminum by chemical-mechanical polishing;
(h) providing an opening by ion-milling to a depth of about 300 nanometers, through at least said second insulating film and said conductive thin film and extending at least part way into said first insulating film, said opening being spaced from said contact openings, thus dividing said thin film into at least first and second portions to form first and second electrodes respectively, while forming a first edge on said first electrode and a second edge on said second electrode;
(i) filling said opening at least partially with a phosphor, at least until said phosphor contacts said first and second edges;
(j) optionally planarizing the resulting surface of silicon oxide, aluminum, and phosphor by chemical-mechanical polishing;
and
(k) providing means for applying bias voltages to said first and second electrodes, said bias voltages being sufficient to inject first carriers from said first electrode and to inject second carriers from said second electrode into said phosphor to induce light emission therefrom.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Fabrication process for dual carrier display device

Life of this patent

Fabrication process for dual carrier display device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19