EP0724771B1 - Flacher bildschirm mit hoher spannung zwischen elektroden - Google Patents

Flacher bildschirm mit hoher spannung zwischen elektroden Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0724771B1
EP0724771B1 EP95928531A EP95928531A EP0724771B1 EP 0724771 B1 EP0724771 B1 EP 0724771B1 EP 95928531 A EP95928531 A EP 95928531A EP 95928531 A EP95928531 A EP 95928531A EP 0724771 B1 EP0724771 B1 EP 0724771B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
plate
anode
screen
cathode
display screen
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP95928531A
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English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0724771A1 (de
Inventor
Jean-Frédéric Clerc
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Pixtech SA
Original Assignee
Pixtech SA
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Pixtech SA filed Critical Pixtech SA
Publication of EP0724771A1 publication Critical patent/EP0724771A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0724771B1 publication Critical patent/EP0724771B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J29/00—Details of cathode-ray tubes or of electron-beam tubes of the types covered by group H01J31/00
    • H01J29/02—Electrodes; Screens; Mounting, supporting, spacing or insulating thereof
    • H01J29/028—Mounting or supporting arrangements for flat panel cathode ray tubes, e.g. spacers particularly relating to electrodes
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J29/00—Details of cathode-ray tubes or of electron-beam tubes of the types covered by group H01J31/00
    • H01J29/94—Selection of substances for gas fillings; Means for obtaining or maintaining the desired pressure within the tube, e.g. by gettering
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J31/00—Cathode ray tubes; Electron beam tubes
    • H01J31/08—Cathode ray tubes; Electron beam tubes having a screen on or from which an image or pattern is formed, picked up, converted, or stored
    • H01J31/10—Image or pattern display tubes, i.e. having electrical input and optical output; Flying-spot tubes for scanning purposes
    • H01J31/12—Image or pattern display tubes, i.e. having electrical input and optical output; Flying-spot tubes for scanning purposes with luminescent screen
    • H01J31/123—Flat display tubes
    • H01J31/125—Flat display tubes provided with control means permitting the electron beam to reach selected parts of the screen, e.g. digital selection
    • H01J31/127—Flat display tubes provided with control means permitting the electron beam to reach selected parts of the screen, e.g. digital selection using large area or array sources, i.e. essentially a source for each pixel group
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J2201/00—Electrodes common to discharge tubes
    • H01J2201/30—Cold cathodes
    • H01J2201/304—Field emission cathodes
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J2329/00—Electron emission display panels, e.g. field emission display panels
    • H01J2329/86—Vessels
    • H01J2329/8625—Spacing members

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a flat screen of visualization. It applies more particularly to a screen flat of the type having a bombardment microtip cathode electronics of an anode carrying phosphor elements. This type of screen is commonly called a microtip screen.
  • Figure 1 shows the functional structure of a flat screen with microtips of the type to which the invention relates.
  • Such a microtip screen essentially consists a cathode 1 with microtips 2 and a grid 3 provided of holes 4 corresponding to the locations of the microtips 2.
  • Cathode 1 is placed opposite a cathodoluminescent anode 5 of which a glass substrate 6 constitutes the surface screen.
  • Cathode 1 is organized in columns and is made up, on a substrate 10, for example made of glass, of conductors cathodes organized in mesh from a conductive layer.
  • the microtips 2 are made on a resistive layer 11 deposited on the cathode conductors and are arranged inside the meshes defined by the conductors of cathode.
  • Figure 1 partially showing the interior of a mesh, the cathode conductors do not appear on this figure.
  • Cathode 1 is associated with grid 3 which is it organized in lines, an insulating layer (not shown) being interposed between the cathode conductors and the grid 3. The intersection of a row in grid 3 and a column of cathode 1, defines a pixel.
  • This device uses the electric field created between cathode 1 and grid 3 so that electrons are extracts from microtips 2 to phosphor elements 7 of anode 5.
  • anode 5 is provided with strips alternating phosphor elements 7, each corresponding to a color (Blue, Red, Green). The bands are separated from each other by an insulator 8.
  • the phosphor elements 7 are deposited on electrodes 9, made up of corresponding bands a transparent conductive layer such as indium tin oxide (ITO). Tape sets blue, red, green are alternately polarized with respect at cathode 1, so that the electrons extracted from the microtips 2 of a pixel of the cathode / grid are alternately directed towards the phosphor elements 7 opposite each of the colors.
  • ITO indium tin oxide
  • the assembly of the two substrates, or plates, 6 and 10 supporting respectively the anode 5 and the cathode 1 is carried out with care of an empty space 12 for circulation of electrons emitted by cathode 1.
  • the anode-cathode voltage is directly related to the brightness of the screen. So the more we try to reduce the shadow areas due to the spacers by reducing their diameter, the more the anode-cathode voltage must be reduced, and the more the screen brightness is reduced.
  • the diameter of the balls is limited to about 200 mm to avoid creating shadow areas
  • the tension anode-cathode is then limited to approximately 500 to 1000 V.
  • the present invention aims to overcome these drawbacks by providing a microtip screen that can work under high anode-cathode voltage.
  • the present invention provides a flat display screen of the type comprising a electron bombardment microtip cathode associated with a grid, an anode carrying phosphor elements, and a inter-electrode space, screen which further includes a plate insulating definition of said space associated with means for keep this plate away from the anode, said plate being provided with holes to the right of microtip zones.
  • said means for keeping the plate at a distance are constituted by beads distributed between the plate and the anode.
  • said means for keeping the plate at a distance are constituted by bosses that the plate has on its face in look of the anode.
  • said plate further comprises, outside the useful surface of the screen, a light for receiving a dirt trap element.
  • said plate is coated, on the anode side, with a conductive layer.
  • said conductive layer is reflective towards the anode.
  • said conductive layer is made of a trapping material of impurities.
  • said plate is glass, and the holes are obtained by photoforming.
  • said plate has a given value thickness between 0.2 and 2 mm, and the means for keeping the plate at a distance of the anode have a given value thickness included between 0.05 and 0.2 mm.
  • the essential characteristic of the present invention is to offer a spacer whose structure does not harm to the path of the electrons emitted by the cathode and whose thickness either without effect on the regularity of light emission of the screen.
  • the invention provides a spacer 13 in the form of a thick insulating plate regular and whose surface is roughly the same as that of the cathode and the anode of the screen.
  • This plate 13 is provided with holes 14 to the right of each pixel defined by the intersection of a row in the grid and a column in the cathode, or to the right of each sub-pixel defined by the interior a mesh of cathode conductors.
  • this plate 13 is associated with means for keeping it away from the anode 5.
  • These means consist, for example, of small balls 20 diameter, distributed between plate 13 and anode 5 as this is shown in Figure 3, or bosses formed directly on the surface of the plate 13 which is opposite anode 5.
  • These bosses will preferably have a shape such that their contact surface with anode 5 is the most reduced possible.
  • these bosses could be spherical or pointed towards the anode 5.
  • the association of the plate 13 provided with holes 14 and these remote holding means allows benefit from both the absence of an obstacle for the electrons emitted by microdots 2 of cathode 1 and of a large inter-electrode space.
  • the plate 13 is for example made of glass and the holes 14 can for example be made by photoforming.
  • the holes 14 can be circular, square, or other. It will however be ensured that the size of the holes 4 and the periodicity of the reason for their distribution in the plate 13 are such that no moiré phenomenon is observable from the screen surface. To do this, we will ensure that than the surface of a sub-pixel, or of a pixel depending on the mode of chosen realization, can register in a hole 14. Preferably, the size of a hole 14 will be slightly larger than the size of a pixel, or sub-pixel, to account for a slight misalignment possible when positioning the plate 13 on grid 3.
  • the plate 13 is during the assembly of the screen, placed on the grid 3, the holes 14 of the plate 13 being perpendicular to the intersections between the rows 15 of grid 3 and columns 16 of cathode 1 or in line with the meshes of the cathode conductors.
  • Plates 6 and 10 are assembled in a conventional manner by means of a sealing joint 18.
  • This joint 18 can for example be made of a fusible glass bead.
  • plate 10 is conventionally provided, outside of its useful surface, a pumping tube 19 emerging in space 12 from the external face of the plate 10. This pumping tube 19 is closed at its free end once a vacuum has been created in space 12.
  • the means for holding the plate 13 away from anode 5 allow communication between the holes 14 and the pumping tube 19.
  • the thickness of these means of maintaining distance is for example a given value between 0.05 and 0.2 mm.
  • the invention therefore allows the thickness of the empty space 12 to a value such that it makes it possible to supply the cathode and the anode with a potential difference much more important. This improves the shine of the screen.
  • the thickness of the plate 13 is for example a value data between 0.2 and 2 mm.
  • a thickness of 1 mm for the plate 13 associated with balls 20 with a diameter of approximately 0.2 mm authorizes, without risk of electric arcing, a voltage anode-cathode of about 10,000 V.
  • the diameter of the holes 14 in the plate 13 depends on the size of the pixels or sub-pixels, it is for example of a given value between 60 and 300 ⁇ m.
  • the step between two holes 14 of the plate 13 is for example of a given value about 100 ⁇ m.
  • the plate 13 is, according to a preferred embodiment, metallized on its surface opposite anode 5 for create a reflective surface 21 which further improves the screen brightness by referring to the phosphor elements 7, the light they emit towards the inside of the screen.
  • metallization 21 makes it possible to refocus the electrons emitted from cathode 1 and thus optimize the screen brightness and contrast, metallization 21 playing the role of a focusing grid.
  • Another advantage of the invention is that it allows using, for anode 5, so-called 7 phosphor elements high tension.
  • the anode conductors which are conventionally formed of a transparent material between the plate 6 and the phosphor elements 7 can now be formed, by a very thin aluminum film affixed to the phosphor elements 7, empty space side 12.
  • the power of the emitted electrons under high anode-cathode voltage allows them to pass through this thin aluminum film. This has the effect of increasing the screen brightness while increasing proximity contrast.
  • the constituent layers of the electrodes and the seal 18 tend to degas during screen operation. Such degassing is harmful and we is led to provide, in communication with the vacuum space 12, an impurity trapping element, or degasser, commonly called getter. This getter is conventionally placed in the pumping tube 19 prior to closing.
  • this tube 19 constitutes a significant projection, perpendicular to the bottom of the screen while trying to achieve a flat screen as small as possible. Indeed, the volume of getter affects the life of the screen. Plus the getter is important, the longer the screen will last, but the longer the length of the tube 19 must be important to accommodate this getter.
  • the invention allows the accommodation of a getter directly in the inter-electrode space 12 which is not possible in conventional screens given the small thickness vacuum space 12.
  • the invention makes it possible to reduce the bulk. the screen by authorizing a reduction in the length of the pumping tube 19 to a minimum length.
  • This length minimum is related to the closing constraints of the tube 19 by melting the glass of which it is made, for example. In indeed, this closure must be done far enough plates 6 and 10 so as not to damage them.
  • a tube 19 with a length of approximately 6 mm is sufficient to allow closure of the end of tube 19 with conventional methods without damaging plates 6 and 10.
  • the getter according to the invention can be housed at different places.
  • the plate 13 is provided, in the vicinity of an edge of the screen, a light 22 of reception of a getter 23.
  • the useful volume of getter 23 is then more important and the increase in its external surface increases its degassing capacity.
  • metallization 21 is used deposited on the surface of the plate 13 opposite the anode 5 to play the role of getter.
  • This metallization is then, of course, made of a suitable material, for example barium.
  • An advantage of such a variant is that it allows to standardize the degassing carried out by the getter in space under vacuum 12. This embodiment can even if necessary, by authorizing a very large getter, allow deletion of the pumping tube 19.
  • the thicknesses of the various constituents of a screen according to the invention are the following.
  • the plates 6 and 10 each have a thickness about 1 mm.
  • Anode side 5, the thickness of the conductor layer of anode 9 is approximately 0.1 ⁇ m and that of the elements phosphors 7 is between 4 and 10 ⁇ m.
  • Cathode side 1 the thickness of the columns 16 (layer of cathode conductors and resistive layer) is of the order of 0.4 to 0.8 ⁇ m, the thickness of the insulating layer 24 between the cathode 1 and the grid 3 is approximately 1.3 ⁇ m and the thickness of the grid 3 is of the order from 0.2 to 0.4 ⁇ m.
  • the thickness of the plate 13 is included between 0.2 and 2 mm depending on the anode-cathode voltage of screen operation. If the metallization layer 21 plays the role of getter, its thickness is for example around 50 ⁇ m. The diameter of the beads is approximately 50 ⁇ m.
  • each of the constituents described for the layers can be replaced by one or more constituents with the same characteristics and / or fulfilling the same function.
  • the dimensional indications given to example title can be changed based on specifications sought for the screen, the materials used, or other.
  • the thickness of the plate 13 depends on the anode-cathode operating voltage of the screen, and the diameter and the pitch of the holes 14 depend on the size screen pixels or sub-pixels.
  • the choice of height means for keeping the plate 13 away from the anode 5 depends in particular on the pitch holes 14.
  • These means for maintaining distance can be other than balls, for example studs, columns cylindrical, etc. Means may also be provided for remote maintenance on the cathode side.

Landscapes

  • Cathode-Ray Tubes And Fluorescent Screens For Display (AREA)

Claims (8)

  1. Ein Flachbildschirm mit einer Kathode (1), welche Mikrospitzen (2) für den elektronischen Beschuß in Zuordnung zu einem Gatter (3) aufweist, einer Anode (5), welche Lumineszenz-Elemente (7) aufweist, und einer Isolierplatte (13), die einen Elektrodenzwischenraum (12) definiert, wobei die Isolierplatte (13) Löcher (14) im Bereich (17) der Mikrospitzen (2) aufweist, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Platte Mitteln zum Halten der Platte mit Abstand von der Anode zugeordnet ist, wobei die Platte eine Dicke zwischen 0,2 mm und 2 mm hat und die Mittel (20) zum Halten der Platte (13) mit Abstand zu der Anode (5) eine vorgegebene Dicke im Bereich von 0,05 mm bis 0,2 mm aufweisen.
  2. Flachbildschirm nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Mittel zum Halten der Platte (13) mit Abstand zu der Anode Perlen (20) sind, welche zwischen der Platte (13) und der Anode (5) verteilt sind.
  3. Flachbildschirm nach Anspruch 1 , dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Mittel zum Halten der Platte (13) mit Abstand Pfosten sind, die in der Oberfläche der Platte (13), welche der Anode (5) zugewandt ist, vorgesehen sind.
  4. Flachbildschirm nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Platte (13) ferner außerhalb der Nutzoberfläche des Bildschirms eine Öffnung (22) zum Aufnehmen eines Getterelements (23) aufweist.
  5. Flachbildschirm nach Anspruch 2 oder 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Platte (13) auf der Anodenseite (5) mit einer leitenden Schicht (21) beschichtet ist.
  6. Flachbildschirm nach Anspruch 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die leitende Schicht (21) in Richtung der Anode (5) reflektierend ist.
  7. Flachbildschirm nach Anspruch 5 oder 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die leitende Schicht (21) aus einem Getter-Material hergestellt ist.
  8. Flachbildschirm nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 7, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Platte (13) aus Glas hergestellt ist, wobei die Löcher (14) mittels Licht gebildet sind.
EP95928531A 1994-08-24 1995-08-23 Flacher bildschirm mit hoher spannung zwischen elektroden Expired - Lifetime EP0724771B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR9410390 1994-08-24
FR9410390A FR2724041B1 (fr) 1994-08-24 1994-08-24 Ecran plat de visualisation a haute tension inter-electrodes
PCT/FR1995/001105 WO1996006450A1 (fr) 1994-08-24 1995-08-23 Ecran plat de visualisation a haute tension inter-electrodes

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0724771A1 EP0724771A1 (de) 1996-08-07
EP0724771B1 true EP0724771B1 (de) 2001-10-31

Family

ID=9466547

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP95928531A Expired - Lifetime EP0724771B1 (de) 1994-08-24 1995-08-23 Flacher bildschirm mit hoher spannung zwischen elektroden

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US5786660A (de)
EP (1) EP0724771B1 (de)
JP (1) JPH09504642A (de)
DE (1) DE69523556T2 (de)
FR (1) FR2724041B1 (de)
WO (1) WO1996006450A1 (de)

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JPH10177851A (ja) * 1996-12-18 1998-06-30 Futaba Corp 真空容器
JPH10233587A (ja) * 1997-02-21 1998-09-02 Futaba Corp 気密容器
US5894193A (en) * 1997-03-05 1999-04-13 Motorola Inc. Field emission display with getter frame and spacer-frame assembly
JPH1116521A (ja) 1997-04-28 1999-01-22 Canon Inc 電子装置及びそれを用いた画像形成装置
FR2770338B1 (fr) * 1997-10-24 2000-01-14 Pixtech Sa Elimination de l'effet de moire d'un ecran plat de visualisation
US6603255B2 (en) * 1999-02-23 2003-08-05 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Image display unit
KR100343205B1 (ko) * 2000-04-26 2002-07-10 김순택 카본나노튜브를 이용한 삼극 전계 방출 어레이 및 그 제작방법
JP2002063864A (ja) * 2000-08-21 2002-02-28 Ise Electronics Corp 蛍光表示管
US7315115B1 (en) * 2000-10-27 2008-01-01 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Light-emitting and electron-emitting devices having getter regions
US7660392B2 (en) * 2007-11-26 2010-02-09 Harris Corporation Pixel array arrangement for a soft x-ray source

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US3701918A (en) * 1968-08-29 1972-10-31 Philips Corp Gaseous-flow, discharge display device with an array of hollow cathodes
GB1404897A (en) * 1973-04-05 1975-09-03 Oki Electric Industry Co Ltd Cold cathode discharge type display devcies and method for the production thereof
JPS5638751A (en) * 1979-09-05 1981-04-14 Toshiba Corp Flat plate display device
JPS5755038A (en) * 1980-09-18 1982-04-01 Sony Corp Picture display unit
FR2623013A1 (fr) * 1987-11-06 1989-05-12 Commissariat Energie Atomique Source d'electrons a cathodes emissives a micropointes et dispositif de visualisation par cathodoluminescence excitee par emission de champ,utilisant cette source
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JPH08507643A (ja) * 1993-03-11 1996-08-13 フェド．コーポレイション エミッタ先端構造体及び該エミッタ先端構造体を備える電界放出装置並びにその製造方法
FR2702869B1 (fr) * 1993-03-17 1995-04-21 Commissariat Energie Atomique Dispositif d'affichage à micropointes et procédé de fabrication de ce dispositif.

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1996006450A1 (fr) 1996-02-29
DE69523556D1 (de) 2001-12-06
FR2724041A1 (fr) 1996-03-01
JPH09504642A (ja) 1997-05-06
EP0724771A1 (de) 1996-08-07
FR2724041B1 (fr) 1997-04-11
US5786660A (en) 1998-07-28
DE69523556T2 (de) 2002-10-10

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