Method and apparatuses for providing uniform electron beams from field emission displays
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorRobert T. Rasmussen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention includes field emitters, field emission displays (FEDs), monitors, computer systems and methods employing the same for providing uniform electron beams from cathodes of FED devices. The apparatuses each include electron beam uniformity circuitry. The electron beam uniformity circuit provides a grid voltage, VGrid, with a DC offset voltage sufficient to induce field emission from a cathode and a periodic signal superimposed on the DC offset voltage for varying the grid voltage at a frequency fast enough to be undetectable by the human eye. The cathodes may be of the micro-tipped or flat variety. The periodic signal may be sinusoidal with peak-to-peak voltage of between about 5 volts and about 50 volts.
Claims6
A field emitter circuit comprising:
- a row electrode configured to be coupled to ground potential;
- at least one cathode structure disposed upon and in electrical communication with said row electrode;
- a grid electrode with openings proximate to said at least one cathode structure;
- and
- an electron beam uniformity circuit coupled to said grid electrode for providing a grid voltage, VGrid, with a DC offset sufficient to extract electrons from said at least one cathode structure and with a periodic variation in voltage about said DC offset to provide electron beam uniformity.
A field emission display comprising:
- a field emitter circuit comprising:
- a row electrode configured to be coupled to ground potential;
- at least one cathode structure disposed upon and in electrical communication with said row electrode;
- a grid electrode with openings proximate to said at least one cathode structure;
- and
- an electron beam uniformity circuit coupled to said grid electrode for providing a grid voltage, VGrid, with a DC offset sufficient to extract electrons from said at least one cathode structure and with a periodic variation in voltage about said DC offset to provide electron beam uniformity;
- and
- an anode structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.