Display device based on indirectly heated thermionic cathodes

A cathode array and control structure for an image display device including a phosphorescent screen having a plurality of pixels characterized in that said cathode array and control structure comprises:

• a first layer of insulating material;
• an array of filaments coupled to said first layer of insulating material and comprising at least one thousand filaments;
• a plurality of islands of thermally conductive material wherein each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive material is in contact with a corresponding filament of said array of filaments;
• p1 a plurality of electrically conductive islands coated on at least one surface with a low work force electron emissive material wherein each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive material is in contact with a corresponding island of said plurality of electrically conductive islands,
• a second layer of insulating material having a plurality of holes, positioned such that said plurality of holes in said second layer of insulating material correspond to said plurality of electrically conductive islands coated with said low work force electron emissive material, and coupled to said electrically conductive islands coated with said low work force electron emissive material;
• and
• a plurality of control electrodes coupled to said second layer of insulating material wherein said plurality of electrically conductive islands in combination with said plurality of control electrodes are configured to be capable of substantially inhibiting thermionic emission from energizing said phosphorescent screen sufficiently to generate visible light with an electrical potential of less than one hundred volts coupled between said plurality of electrically conductive islands and said plurality of control electrodes.

A cathode array and control structure for an image display device including a phosphorescent screen having a plurality of pixels characterized in that said cathode array and control structure comprises:

• a first layer of insulating material;
• an array of filaments coupled to said first layer of insulating material;
• a plurality of islands of thermally conductive material wherein each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive material is in contact with a corresponding filament of said array of filaments;
• a plurality of electrically conductive islands coated on at least one surface with a low work force electron emissive material wherein each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive material is in contact with a corresponding island of said plurality of electrically conductive islands,
• a plurality of electrically conductive traces wherein said plurality of electrically conductive traces electrically couple groups of said electrically conductive islands in said plurality of electrically conductive islands;
• a second layer of insulating material having a plurality of holes and positioned such that said plurality of holes in said second layer of insulating material correspond to said plurality of electrically conductive islands coated with said low work force electron emissive material;
• and
• a plurality of control electrodes coupled to said second layer of insulating material wherein a) said plurality of control electrodes are divided into groups of electrically coupled control electrodes, and b) said plurality of electrically conductive traces and said plurality of control electrodes define a multi-dimensional array.

A cathode array for an image display device including a phosphorescent screen having a plurality of pixels characterized in that said cathode array comprises:

• a first layer of insulating material;
• an array of filaments coupled to said first layer of insulating material and comprising at least one thousand filaments wherein each filament of said array of filaments corresponds to a pixel of said plurality of pixels on said phosphorescent screen;
• a plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials, wherein a) each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials comprises a plurality of layers of thermally conductive materials, and b) each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials is in contact with a corresponding filament of said array of filaments;
• and
• a plurality of electrically conductive islands coated on at least one surface with a low work force electron emissive material wherein each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials is in contact with a corresponding island of said plurality of electrically conductive islands.

A cathode array and control structure for an image display device including a phosphorescent screen having a plurality of pixels characterized in that said cathode array and control structure comprises:

• a first layer of insulating material;
• an array of filaments coupled to said first layer of insulating material and comprising at least one thousand filaments;
• a plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials wherein a) each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials comprises a plurality of layers of thermally conductive materials, and b) each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials is in contact with a corresponding filament of said array of filaments;
• a plurality of electrically conductive islands coated on at least one surface with a low work force electron emissive material wherein each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials is in contact with a corresponding island of said plurality of electrically conductive islands;
• a second layer of insulating material having a plurality of holes, positioned such that said plurality of holes in said second layer of insulating material correspond to said plurality of electrically conductive islands coated with said low work force electron emissive material, and coupled to said electrically conductive islands coated with said low work force electron emissive material;
• and
• a plurality of control electrodes coupled to said second layer of insulating material wherein said plurality of electrically conductive islands in combination with said plurality of control electrodes are configured to be capable of substantially inhibiting thermionic emission from energizing said phosphorescent screen sufficiently to generate visible light with an electrical potential of less than one hundred volts coupled between said plurality of electrically conductive islands and said plurality of control electrodes.

A cathode array and control structure for an image display device including a phosphorescent screen having a plurality of pixels characterized in that said cathode array and control structure comprises:

• a first layer of insulating material;
• an array of filaments coupled to said first layer of insulating material;
• a plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials wherein a) each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials comprises a plurality of layers of thermally conductive materials, and b) each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials is in contact with a corresponding filament of said array of filaments;
• a plurality of electrically conductive islands coated on at least one surface with a low work force electron emissive material wherein each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials is in contact with a corresponding island of said plurality of electrically conductive islands;
• a plurality of electrically conductive traces wherein said plurality of electrically conductive traces electrically couple groups of said electrically conductive islands in said plurality of electrically conductive islands;
• a second layer of insulating material having a plurality of holes and positioned such that said plurality of holes in said second layer of insulating material correspond to said plurality of electrically conductive islands coated with said low work force electron emissive material;
• and
• a plurality of control electrodes coupled to said second layer of insulating material wherein a) said plurality of control electrodes are divided into groups of electrically coupled control electrodes;
• and b) said plurality of electrically conductive traces and said plurality of control electrodes define a multi-dimensional array.

A method of manufacturing a cathode array for an image display device including a phosphorescent screen having a plurality of pixels, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first layer of insulating material;
• providing an array of filaments coupled to said first layer of insulating material and comprising at least one thousand filaments wherein each filament of said array of filaments corresponds to a pixel of said plurality of pixels on said phosphorescent screen;
• providing a plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials, wherein a) each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials comprises a plurality of layers of thermally conductive material, and b) each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials is in contact with a corresponding filament of said array of filaments;
• and
• providing a plurality of electrically conductive islands in contact with a corresponding island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials, and coated on at least one surface with a low work force electron emissive material, whereby the thermal energy transferred by said layer of thermally conductive material from said array of filaments to said plurality of electrically conductive islands excites said low work force electron emissive material permitting said plurality of electron beams to be extracted.

A method of manufacturing a cathode array for an image display device including a phosphorescent screen having a plurality of pixels, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first layer of insulating material;
• providing an array of filaments coupled to said first layer of insulating material and comprising at least one thousand filaments wherein each filament of said array of filaments corresponds to a pixel of said plurality of pixels on said phosphorescent screen;
• providing a plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials wherein each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials is in contact with a corresponding filament of said array of filaments;
• and
• providing a plurality of electrically conductive islands in contact with a corresponding island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive material, and coated on at least one surface with a low work force electron emissive material, whereby the thermal energy transferred by said layer of thermally conductive materials from said array of filaments to said plurality of electrically conductive islands excites said low work force electron emissive material permitting said plurality of electron beams to be extracted.

A method of manufacturing a cathode array and control structure for an image display device including a phosphorescent screen having a plurality of pixels, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first layer of insulating material;
• providing an array of filaments coupled to said first layer of insulating material;
• providing a plurality of islands of thermally conductive material wherein each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive material is in contact with a corresponding filament of said array of filaments;
• providing a plurality of electrically conductive islands coated on at least one surface with a low work force electron emissive material wherein each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive material is in contact with a corresponding island of said plurality of electrically conductive islands,
• providing a plurality of electrically conductive traces wherein said plurality of electrically conductive traces electrically couple groups of said electrically conductive islands in said plurality of electrically conductive islands;
• providing a second layer of insulating material having a plurality of holes and positioned such that said plurality of holes in said second layer of insulating material correspond to said plurality of electrically conductive islands coated with said low work force electron emissive material;
• and
• providing a plurality of control electrodes coupled to said second layer of insulating material wherein a) said plurality of control electrodes are divided into groups of electrically coupled control electrodes, and b) said plurality of electrically conductive traces and said plurality of control electrodes define a multi-dimensional array.

A method of manufacturing a cathode array and control structure for an image display device including a phosphorescent screen having a plurality of pixels, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first layer of insulating material;
• providing an array of filaments coupled to said first layer of insulating material;
• providing a plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials wherein a) each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials comprises a plurality of layers of thermally conductive materials, and b) each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials is in contact with a corresponding filament of said array of filaments;
• providing a plurality of electrically conductive islands coated on at least one surface with a low work force electron emissive material wherein each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials is in contact with a corresponding island of said plurality of electrically conductive islands;
• providing a plurality of electrically conductive traces wherein said plurality of electrically conductive traces electrically couple groups of said electrically conductive islands in said plurality of electrically conductive islands;
• providing a second layer of insulating material having a plurality of holes and positioned such that said plurality of holes in said second layer of insulating material correspond to said plurality of electrically conductive islands coated with said low work force electron emissive material;
• and
• providing a plurality of control electrodes coupled to said second layer of insulating material wherein a) said plurality of control electrodes are divided into groups of electrically coupled control electrodes, and b) said plurality of electrically conductive traces and said plurality of control electrodes define a multi-dimensional array.

A method of manufacturing a cathode array and control structure for an image display device including a phosphorescent screen having a plurality of pixels, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first layer of insulating material;
• providing an array of filaments coupled to said first layer of insulating material and comprising at least one thousand filaments;
• providing a plurality of islands of thermally conductive material wherein each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive material is in contact with a corresponding filament of said array of filaments;
• providing a plurality of electrically conductive islands coated on at least one surface with a low work force electron emissive material wherein each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive material is in contact with a corresponding island of said plurality of electrically conductive islands, providing a second layer of insulating material having a plurality of holes, positioned such that said plurality of holes in said second layer of insulating material correspond to said plurality of electrically conductive islands coated with said low work force electron emissive material, and coupled to said electrically conductive islands coated with said low work force electron emissive material;
• and
• providing a plurality of control electrodes coupled to said second layer of insulating material wherein said plurality of electrically conductive islands in combination with said plurality of control electrodes are configured to be capable of substantially inhibiting thermionic emission from energizing said phosphorescent screen sufficiently to generate visible light with an electrical potential of less than one hundred volts coupled between said plurality of electrically conductive islands and said plurality of control electrodes.

A method of manufacturing a cathode array and control structure for an image display device including a phosphorescent screen having a plurality of pixels, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first layer of insulating material;
• providing an array of filaments coupled to said first layer of insulating material and comprising at least one thousand filaments;
• providing a plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials wherein a) each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials comprises a plurality of layers of thermally conductive material, and b) each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials is in contact with a corresponding filament of said array of filaments;
• providing a plurality of electrically conductive islands coated on at least one surface with a low work force electron emissive material wherein each island of said plurality of islands of thermally conductive materials is in contact with a corresponding island of said plurality of electrically conductive islands;
• providing a second layer of insulating material having a plurality of holes, positioned such that said plurality of holes in said second layer of insulating material correspond to said plurality of electrically conductive islands coated with said low work force electron emissive material, and coupled to said electrically conductive islands coated with said low work force electron emissive material;
• and
• providing a plurality of control electrodes coupled to said second layer of insulating material wherein said plurality of electrically conductive islands in combination with said plurality of control electrodes are configured to be capable of substantially inhibiting thermionic emission from energizing said phosphorescent screen sufficiently to generate visible light with an electrical potential of less than one hundred volts coupled between said plurality of electrically conductive islands and said plurality of control electrodes.