Patent · US Expired

Spaced-gate emission device and method for making same

US5681196A · kind A · utility

43Cited by
11References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 17, 1995
Grant dateOct 28, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 17, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J2329/00
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In accordance with the invention, a field emission device is made by disposing emitter material on an insulating substrate, applying a sacrificial film to the emitter material and forming over the sacrificial layer a conductive gate layer having a random distribution of apertures therein. In the preferred process, the gate is formed by applying masking particles to the sacrificial film, applying a conductive film over the masking particles and the sacrificial film and then removing the masking particles to reveal a random distribution of apertures. The sacrificial film is then removed. The apertures then extend to the emitter material. In a preferred embodiment, the sacrificial film contains dielectric spacer particles which remain after the film is removed to separate the emitter from the gate. The result is a novel and economical field emission device having numerous randomly distributed emission apertures which can be used to make low cost flat panel displays.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.