Spacer locator design for three-dimensional focusing structures in a flat panel display

A flat panel display comprising:

• a faceplate structure;
• a backplate structure having an electron emitting structure;
• a focusing structure having a first surface coupled to the electron emitting structure and a second surface which extends away from the electron emitting structure, the focusing structure and the electron emitting structure having an electrical end between the first and second surfaces of the focusing structure;
• a spacer located between the focusing structure and the faceplate structure, the spacer having an electrical end located above the electrical end of the focusing structure and the electron emitting structure;
• a face electrode located an a face surface of the spacer;
• and
• means for controlling the voltage of the face electrode to create, adjacent to the face electrode, a voltage distribution which compensates for the voltage distribution caused by the electrical end of the spacer being located above the electrical end of the focusing structure and the electron emitting structure, the controlling means comprising (a) a first edge electrode located at a first edge surface of the spacers, extending along only part of the first edge surface, and contacting the backplate structure and (b) a second edge electrode located at a second edge suface of the spacer and contacting the faceplate structure.

A flat panel display comprising:

• an electron emitting structure;
• a focusing structure having a first surface coupled to the electron emitting structure and a second surface which extends away from the electron emitting structure, the focusing structure and the electron emitting structure having an electrical end between the first and second surfaces of the focusing structure;
• and
• one or more grooves located along the second surface of the focusing structure, each groove having a bottom surface coincident with the electrical end of the focusing structure and the electron emitting structure.

A method of fabricating a flat panel display comprising (a) a faceplate structure having a light emitting structure and (b) a backplate structure having an electron emitting structure, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a focusing structure over the electron emitting structure of the backplate structure, the focusing structure and the electron emitting structure having an electrical end;
• forming a groove in the focusing structure;
• and
• locating a spacer in the groove, the spacer having an electrical end located such that the voltage distribution along most of the spacer approximately equals the voltage distribution which exists in free space between (a) the light emitting structure and (b) the focusing structure and the electron emitting structure.

A method of fabricating a flat panel display comprising a faceplate structure and a backplate structure having an electron emitting structure, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a focusing structure over the electron emitting structure of the backplate structure, the focusing structure and the electron emitting structure having an electrical end;
• locating a spacer having an electrical end on the focusing structure such that the electrical end of the spacer is located above the electrical end of the focusing structure and the electron emitting structure;
• providing a face electrode on a face surface of the spacer;
• providing first and second edge electrodes respectively at opposite first and second edge surfaces of the spacer so as to respectively contact the backplate structure and the faceplate structure, at least one of the edge electrodes extending along only part of the edge surface at which that edge electrode is located;
• and
• controlling the voltage of the face electrode to create, adjacent to the face electrode, a voltage distribution which compensates for the voltage distribution caused by the electrical end of the spacer being located above the electrical end of the focusing structure and the electron emitting structure.

A flat panel display comprising:

• a faceplate structure;
• a backplate structure having an electron emitting structure;
• a focusing structure having a first surface coupled to the electron emitting structure and a second surface which extends away from the electron emitting structure, the focusing structure and the electron emitting structure having an electrical end between the first and second surfaces of the focusing structure;
• a spacer located between the focusing structure and the faceplate structure, the spacer having an electrical end located above the electrical end of the focusing structure and the electron emitting structure;
• a face electrode located on a face surface of the spacer;
• and
• means for controlling the voltage of the face electrode to create, adjacent to the face electrode, a voltage distribution which compensates for the voltage distribution caused by the electrical end of the spacer being located above the electrical end of the focusing structure and the electron emitting structure, the controlling means comprising (a) a first edge electrode located at a first edge surface of the spacer and contacting the focusing structure and (b) a second edge electrode located at a second edge surface of the spacer, extending along only part of the second edge surface, and contacting the faceplate structure.