Abstract:
A circuit (300) and method for controlling the brightness of a display screen (200) implemented using a flat panel field emission display (FED) screen (200). A brightness control circuitry (300) is positioned across the row drivers (220) for altering the applied voltage (212) to the rows (230) causing a change in brightness cross the FED screen (200). The applied voltage (212) can be pulse width modulated or amplitude modulated to alter the brightness of the FED screen (200). Within one FED screen (200) implementation, it is more efficient to alter the row voltage (212); however, in alternative embodiment of the present invention the column voltages (207) are modulated in amplitude or pulse width to alter the brightness of the FED screen (200). The brightness control circuitry (300) of the present invention can be made responsive to a manual brightness knob (520) or can be responsive to an ambient light sensor (580a, 580b).
Abstract:
An impedance-assisted electrochemical procedure is employed for selectively removing certain material from a structure without significantly electrochemically attacking, and thus without significantly removing, certain other material of the same chemical type as the removed material.
Abstract:
A coating material, for coating a spacer structure (300) of a flat panel display, having specific resistivity and secondary emission characteristics is disclosed. The coating material is characterized by formula Psc > 100(Psw) and r
Abstract:
An electron-emitting device contains an electron focusing system (37 or 37A) formed with a base focusing structure (38 or 38A) and a focus coating (39 or 39A) that penetrates, preferably only pathway, into a focus opening (40) extending through the base focusing structure. The focus coating, normally of lower resistivity than the base focusing structure, is typically formed by an angled deposition technique. An access conductor (106 or 106A) is preferably electrically coupled to the lower surface of the focus coating. A potential for controlling the focusing of electrons that travel through the focus opening is provided to the focus coating via the access conductor.
Abstract:
A method for forming a conductively coated matrix structure for separating rows and columns of sub-pixels (106) on the faceplate (104) of a flat panel display device. One embodiment deposits a photoresistive material (108) over the interior surface (102) of a faceplate having a non-conductive opaque matrix structure (100) formed thereon, and into sub-pixel regions separated by the matrix structure. The photoresistive material is dried and exposed to light (112) in the sub-pixel regions. After unexposed photoresistive material (110) is removed, a layer of aluminum is evaporated onto the interior surface of the faceplate such that the matrix structure and the exposed layer of photoresistive material in the sub-pixel regions is coated with conductive aluminum. Next, an etchant is applied to the exposed photoresistive material disposed in the sub-pixel regions, removing the exposed photoresistive material and the overlying Al layer from the sub-pixel regions, such that the conductive Al layer remains only on the matrix structure, and does not cover the sub-pixel regions.
Abstract:
A method for creating a color filter on a display screen that allows better and more efficient adhesion of color pigment crystals to the screen display structure. In one embodiment, the present invention creates a color filter on a glass substrate having a pixel-defining structure. The present embodiment first creates a color filter slurry by mixing a polyvinyl alcohol solution with a color crystal pigment. The color filter slurry is then applied onto the interior surface of the display screen. The slurry is then dried. The dried color filter slurry is then exposed to an UV light from the exterior side of the display screen. The UV light exposes the color filter slurry through a photomask and through the display screen. The excess layer of color filter slurry is then removed, leaving behind a color filter of desired transmission wavelength such that light having similar wavelength are substantially transmitted and light of wavelengths different from said color pigment crystals are substantially filtered out by absorption.
Abstract:
A flat-panel device is fabricated by a process in which a pair of plate structures (40 and 42) are sealed along their interior surfaces (40A and 42B) to opposite edges (44A and 44B) of an outer wall (44) to form a compartment. Subsequently, exterior support structure (64) is attached to the exterior surface of one of the plate structures (40) to significantly increase resistance of the compartment to bending. Exterior support structure (66) is normally likewise attached to the exterior surface of the other plate structure (42) after the sealing operation. The compartment is then typically pumped down to a high vacuum through a suitable pump-out port (46) and closed. By providing the exterior support structure at such a relatively late stage in the fabrication process, the need for using spacers to support the device against external forces is eliminated or substantially reduced while simultaneously avoiding severe fabrication difficulties that arise in attaching the exterior support structure before the sealing operation.
Abstract:
Portions (40 and 44) of a structure, such as a flat-panel display, are positioned such that a sealing area (40S) of one portion is at least partially separated from a corresponding sealing area (44S) of another portion such that a gap (48) at least partially separates the two sealing areas, typically by height of 25 microns or more. Energy is applied in a 'gap jumping technique' to locally heat material of at least one portion along the sealing area such that the material bridges the gap and seals the portions (40 and 44) together. A laser is typically employed to locally melt and draw the material into the gap by a combination of factors such as surface tension. A first part of the gap jumping technique may be performed in a non-vacuum environment to tack the portions together, but the gap jumping technique is typically completed in a vacuum to form an evacuated panel.
Abstract:
An electrochemical technique is employed for removing certain material from a partially finished structure without significantly chemically attacking certain other material of the same chemical type as the removed material. The partially finished structure contains a first electrically non-insulating layer (52C) consisting at least partially of first material, typically excess emitter material that accumulates during the deposition of the emitter material to form electron-emissive elements (52A) in an electron emitter, that overlies an electrically insulating layer (44). An electrically non-insulating member, such as an electron-emissive element, consisting at least partially of the first material is situated at least partly in an opening (50) extending through the insulating layer. With the partially finished structure so arranged, at least part of the first material of the first non-insulating layer is electrochemically removed such that the non-insulating member is exposed without significantly attacking the first material of the non-insulating member.
Abstract:
Integrated circuits (10), including field emission devices (7), have a resistor element (4) of amorphous SixC1-x wherein 0∫x∫1, and wherein the SixC1-x incorporates at least one impurity selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogens, nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur, selenium, transition metals, boron, aluminum, phosphorus, gallium, arsenic, lithium, beryllium, sodium and magnesium.