Field emission device having metal hydride hydrogen source
AssigneeMotorola, Inc.
InventorsBabu R. Chalamala, Robert H. Reuss
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A field emission display (100, 200) includes a cathode plate (102, 302), an anode plate (104, 204, 304), and a hydrogen source (146, 148, 129, 150, 246, 346, 270), which is preferably disposed on cathode plate (102, 302) or anode plate (104, 204, 304). Hydrogen source (146, 148, 129, 150, 246, 346, 270) is distributed over the active area of field emission display (100, 200) and is made from a metal hydride, which is selected from the group consisting of titanium hydride, vanadium hydride, zirconium hydride, hafnium hydride, niobium hydride, and tantalum hydride. The metal hydride can be activated to provide an isotope of hydrogen in situ.
Claims21
A field emission device comprising an electron bombardment activated hydrogen source comprising a metal hydride selected from the group consisting of titanium hydride, vanadium hydride, zirconium hydride, hafnium hydride, niobium hydride, and tantalum hydride.
A field emission device comprising:
- a plurality of electron emitters;
- and
- a hydrogen source spaced apart from the plurality of electron emitters to define an interspace region therebetween suitable for the movement of hydrogen from the hydrogen source in response to an electron bombardment, to the plurality of electron emitters, wherein the hydrogen source comprises a metal hydride selected from the group consisting of titanium hydride, vanadium hydride, zirconium hydride, hafnium hydride, niobium hydride, and tantalum hydride.
A field emission display comprising:
- a plurality of electron emitters;
- a plurality of phosphors disposed to receive electrons emitted by the plurality of electron emitters;
- and
- a hydrogen source, characterized as activated in response to an electron bombardment, the hydrogen source spaced apart from the plurality of electron emitters to define an interspace region therehetween suitable for the movement of hydrogen from the hydrogen source to the plurality of electron emitters, wherein the hydrogen source comprises a metal hydride selected from the group consisting of titanium hydride, vanadium hydride, zirconium hydride, hafnium hydride, niobium hydride, and tantalum hydride.
A method for operating a field emission device comprising tie steps of:
- providing within the field emission device a hydrogen source made from a metal hydride selected from the group consisting of titanium hydride, vanadium hydride, zirconium hydride, hafnium hydride, niobium hydride, and tantalum hydride;
- and
- activating by electron bombardment the hydrogen source to evolve hydrogen, thereby providing the metal of the metal hydride in a form useful for gettering.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.