Attaching spacers in a display device

Details Attaching spacers in a display device Attaching spacers in a display device

1999-11-12

2002-12-10

Ramsey, Kenneth J. (Department: 2879)

Electric lamp or space discharge component or device manufacturi

Process

With assembly or disassembly

Reexamination Certificate

active

06491559

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to displays, and more particularly to processes for creating spacer attachment sites for a field emission display (FED).
Referring to
FIG. 1
, in a typical FED (a type of flat panel display), a backplate (cathode)
21
has a substrate
10
, such as glass, on which conductive layers
12
, such as doped polycrystalline silicon or aluminum, are formed. Conical emitters
13
are formed on conductive layers
12
. A dielectric layer
14
surrounds emitters
13
, and a conductive extraction grid
15
is formed over dielectric layer
14
. When a voltage differential from a power source
20
is applied between conductive layers
12
and grid
15
, electrons
17
bombard pixels
22
of a phosphor coated faceplate (anode)
24
. Faceplate
24
has a transparent dielectric layer
16
, preferably glass, a transparent conductive layer
26
, preferably indium tin oxide (ITO), a black matrix grille (not shown) formed over conductive layer
26
to define regions, and phosphor coating over the regions defined by the grille.
Backplate
21
and faceplate
24
are spaced very close together in a vacuum sealed package. In operation, there is a potential difference on the order of 1000 volts between conductive layers
12
and
26
. Electrical breakdown must be prevented in the packaged FED, while the spacing between the plates must be maintained at a desired thinness for high image resolution.
A small area display, such as one inch (2.5 cm) diagonal, may not require additional supports or spacers between faceplate
24
and backplate
21
because glass substrate
16
in faceplate
24
can support the atmospheric load. For a larger display area, several tons of atmospheric force are exerted on the faceplate, thus making spacers important if the faceplate is to be thin and lightweight.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes methods of making spacers in displays and particularly in field emission displays (FEDs). One method includes steps of mixing frit and photoresist together to form a mixture, applying the mixture to a surface of a portion of a faceplate or backplate, removing portions of the mixture to form adhesion sites at desired locations, and attaching spacers at the adhesion sites. In preferred embodiments, the mixture has about 2% frit and 98% photoresist and is provided on a grille and a transparent conductive layer of a faceplate, and is then removed except over portions of the grille.
With the method of the present invention, precise adhesion sites can be conveniently formed. Other features and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description, drawings, and claims.


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