Segmented cold cathode display panel
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorLeslie Payne
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Abstract
The present invention is a video display device that utilizes the novel concept of generating an electronically controlled pattern of electron emission at the output of a segmented photocathode. This pattern of electron emission is amplified via a channel plate. The result is that an intense electronic image can be accelerated toward a phosphor thus creating a bright video image. This novel arrangement allows for one to provide a full color flat video display capable of implementation in large formats. In an alternate arrangement, the present invention is provided without the channel plate and a porous conducting surface is provided instead. In this alternate arrangement, the brightness of the image is reduced but the cost of the overall device is significantly lowered because fabrication complexity is significantly decreased.
Claims11
A display tube, comprising:
- an evacuated envelope having a substantially flat output faceplate;
- a rear wall substantially parallel to said output faceplate;
- a plurality of electron emitters comprising a plurality of segmented photocathodes wherein said plurality of electron emitters are substantially parallel and interior to said rear wall;
- at least one channel plate having a plurality of pores for multiplying said electrons;
- at least one phosphor plate substantially parallel and interior to said output faceplate;
- a plurality of control grids disposed in a plane parallel to said front and said rear walls and oriented in a direction orthogonal to said electron emitters;
- and an electronic control means for setting component voltages to create a display image in response to a video signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.