JP2000353466A - Electron emitting element, its manufacture, display device and its manufacture - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To form an electron emission section of a stable shape with a paint including an electron emitting material. SOLUTION: A carbon paint film 17a of a paint including carbon grains and a thermosetting resin is formed to cover the exposed faces of a resist film 16 and a cathode electrode layer 12, then infrared rays are applied to the carbon paint film 17a side from the light-transmissive substrate 11 side. A gate electrode layer 14 serves as a mask at this time. Infrared energy is lower in the slant face region of the carbon paint film 17a than in the region of an emitter 17. The region of the emitter 17 is sufficiently heated and hardened, the adhesive strength between the carbon paint film 17a and the substrate 11 is increased, and the adhesive strength between the carbon grains and the thermosetting resin is increased. When the resist film 16 is dissolved and removed, only the carbon paint film 17a on the resist film 16 is separated from the substrate 11, and a crown-shaped emitter 17 is formed in an opening 14a.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electron-emitting device that emits electrons by applying a voltage, a method of manufacturing the same, and a display device using the electron-emitting device and a method of manufacturing the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A needle-shaped conductor or semiconductor has
^When a high voltage of about ⁷ V / cm is applied, electrons pass through the potential barrier due to the tunnel effect even at room temperature, and are emitted from the tip. Such a phenomenon is called field emission, and a cathode having a cold cathode that emits electrons by using field emission is generally called a field effect cathode (hereinafter, referred to as FEC (Field Emission Cathode)). Have been.

[0003] Examples of electron-emitting materials constituting the cold cathode (emitter) of the FEC include graphite, diamond and diamond-like carbon (DLC; Diamon).
d Like Carbon). When a carbonaceous material is used as the electron-emitting substance, for example, an FEC can be manufactured as follows. That is,
As shown in FIG. 4, first, a cathode electrode layer 102, an insulating layer 103, and a gate electrode layer 104 are formed on a substrate 101, and then a resist (not shown) is applied on the gate electrode layer 104, and a lithography technique is used. (Gate hole) 104 in gate electrode layer 104 and insulating layer 103 using
a is formed. Next, the resist film 1 is formed so as to cover the surface and the side surface of the gate electrode layer 104 and the side surface of the insulating layer 103.
Then, ultraviolet rays are irradiated from the resist film 105 side to the substrate 101 side to clean the surface and to improve the wettability of the surface.
A carbon coating film 106a made of a paint containing an electron emission material is formed on the entire upper surface.

Subsequently, the carbon coating film 106a is cured by heating at 60 to 120 ° C. depending on the constituent material of the coating material, and the resist film 105 is dissolved and removed while applying a mechanical force by ultrasonic waves or the like. As a result, unnecessary portions of the carbon coating 106 a are separated (lifted off) from the substrate 101. Thus, the emitter 106 (see FIG. 5) is formed, and the FEC is completed.

[0005]

However, in the method described above, when the carbon coating film 106a is cured,
A defective emitter is produced only when the heating temperature fluctuates by about ± 5 ° C. from a predetermined temperature, and the number of normally operating emitters is 8
There was a problem that it would be 0-90%.

When the heating temperature is low, the carbon coating 1
06a is not sufficiently cured, and a desired adhesion between the carbon coating 106a and the cathode electrode layer 102 cannot be obtained. Therefore, as shown in FIG. A part of the region to be the emitter 106 (part indicated by a dotted line in the figure) is also separated, and a part of the emitter 106 is lost.

[0007] When the heating temperature is high, even the region of the carbon coating 106a to be removed is completely cured, so that as shown in FIG.
Unnecessary portions of the carbon coating film 106a were not completely removed during lift-off, and a short circuit occurred between the emitter 106 and the gate electrode layer 104 during FEC operation.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide a method of manufacturing an electron-emitting device capable of forming an electron-emitting portion having a stable shape using a paint containing an electron-emitting substance. Another object of the present invention is to provide an electron-emitting device manufactured by this method, a display device including such an electron-emitting device, and a method of manufacturing the same.

[0009]

A method of manufacturing an electron-emitting device according to the present invention is a method of manufacturing an electron-emitting device having an electron-emitting portion on a light-transmitting substrate, wherein the method comprises selectively forming an electron-emitting device on a light-transmitting substrate. A step of forming a light shielding portion, and on the light transmitting substrate,
A step of selectively forming a separation layer so as to cover the light shielding portion and expose a part of the light-transmitting substrate; and a step of coating the separation layer and a coating material containing an electron-emitting substance on an exposed surface of the light-transmitting substrate. A step of applying, a step of irradiating light from the light-transmitting substrate side using the light-shielding portion as a mask, and a step of selectively curing an area of the paint irradiated with light; Separating the coating material from the light-transmitting substrate and forming an electron-emitting portion formed by curing the coating material on the light-transmitting substrate.

An electron-emitting device according to the present invention is provided with a control electrode layer having an opening on a light-transmitting substrate and an electron-emitting portion formed in a region corresponding to the opening of the control electrode layer. A coating containing an electron-emitting substance is applied on the region corresponding to the opening of the control electrode layer and the control electrode layer of the light-transmitting substrate, and the electron-emitting portion passes through the light-transmitting substrate using the control electrode layer as a mask. It is constituted by a material which is selectively cured by the irradiated light.

According to a method of manufacturing a display device of the present invention, an electron-emitting device having an electron-emitting portion on a light-transmitting substrate and a display panel having a light-emitting portion which emits light by collision of electrons emitted from the electron-emitting portion are provided. A method for manufacturing a display device comprising: a step of selectively forming a light shielding portion on a light transmitting substrate; and a step of covering the light shielding portion on the light transmitting substrate and forming a part of the light transmitting substrate. Selectively forming a separation layer so that the light is exposed, applying a coating material containing an electron-emitting substance onto the separation layer and the exposed surface of the light-transmitting substrate, and forming a light-transmitting portion using the light-shielding portion as a mask. A step of irradiating light from the substrate side to selectively cure the light-irradiated region of the coating, and removing the separation layer to separate the coating on the separation layer from the light-transmitting substrate, Forming an electron-emitting portion formed by curing a paint on a substrate It is obtained to include a step.

A display device according to the present invention includes an electron-emitting device having, on a light-transmitting substrate, a control electrode layer having an opening and an electron-emitting portion formed in a region corresponding to the opening of the control electrode layer; A display panel having a light emitting portion that emits light by collision of electrons emitted from the emitting portion, wherein the electron emitting portion corresponds to an opening of the control electrode layer and the control electrode layer of the light-transmitting substrate. The coating containing the electron-emitting substance applied on the region is selectively cured by light irradiated through the light-transmitting substrate using the control electrode layer as a mask.

In the method for manufacturing an electron-emitting device and the method for manufacturing a display device according to the present invention, a separating layer is formed on a light-transmitting substrate so as to cover a light shielding portion and expose a part of the light-transmitting substrate. After the coating containing the electron-emitting substance is applied on the separation layer and the exposed surface of the light-transmitting substrate,
Light is irradiated from the light transmissive substrate side using the light shielding portion as a mask. Thereby, the paint is selectively cured. continue,
The electron-emitting portion is formed by removing the separation layer and separating the paint on the separation layer from the light-transmitting substrate.

In the electron-emitting device according to the present invention, electrons are emitted from the electron-emitting portion formed by curing the paint containing the electron-emitting substance by the light irradiated through the light-transmitting substrate using the control electrode layer as a mask.

In the display device according to the present invention, electrons are emitted from the electron-emitting portion formed by curing the paint containing the electron-emitting substance by the light irradiated through the light-transmitting substrate using the control electrode layer as a mask. Collides with the light emitting portion of the display panel to emit light, and display is performed.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. Here, the display device is a field emission display (hereinafter referred to as FED).
(Field Emission Display). ) Will be described.

(First Embodiment) First, referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, an FED according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described.
A method of manufacturing the device will be described. FE according to the present embodiment
D is embodied by the method of manufacturing an FED according to the present embodiment, and will be described below.

First, as shown in FIG. 1A, a substrate 11 made of a light transmissive material such as glass is prepared, and indium / tin oxide (sputtering) is formed on the substrate 11, for example. A cathode electrode layer 12 made of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) is formed. Next, patterning is performed so that the cathode electrode layer 12 has a stripe shape, for example. Here, the substrate 11 and the cathode electrode layer 12
Corresponds to a specific example of the “light transmitting substrate” of the present invention.

Subsequently, the cathode electrode layer 1 is formed on the substrate 11.
For example, a sputtering method, a vapor deposition method, and a CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) so as to intersect, preferably orthogonal to, 2
An insulating layer 13 made of silicon dioxide (SiO ₂ ) or printed glass is formed by a method or a glass paste printing method. After that, a chromium (Cr) film or a titanium (Ti) film and a gold (Au) film are sequentially stacked on the insulating layer 13 by, for example, an evaporation method to form the gate electrode layer 14. The gate electrode layer 14 has an emitter 17 to be described later.
This is for controlling the emission amount and spread of the electrons emitted from (see FIG. 2C). Here, the gate electrode layer 14 corresponds to a specific example of the “control electrode layer” and the “light shielding portion” of the present invention.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1B, a resist film 15 is formed on the gate electrode layer 14, and openings are formed in the gate electrode layer 14 and the insulating layer 13 by using a lithography technique which is a semiconductor technique. (Gate hole) 14a is formed. Specifically, after patterning the resist film 15,
Using the resist film 15 as a mask, the gate electrode layer 14
And the insulating layer 13 is continuously etched. continue,
As shown in FIG. 1C, the resist film 15 is removed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1D, the exposed surfaces of the gate electrode layer 14 and the insulating layer 13 (that is, the surfaces and side surfaces of the gate electrode layer 14 and the side surfaces of the insulating layer 13) are covered, and In order to expose a part of the cathode electrode layer 12, for example, a spin coating method (spinner 4000r) is used.
pm), a resist film 16 made of a positive photoresist (AZP4210 manufactured by Clariant Japan) having a thickness of about 2 μm is formed. Subsequently, the resist film 16 and the exposed surfaces of the cathode electrode layer 12 are cleaned by irradiating, for example, ultraviolet rays from the resist film 16 side. As a result, organic substances and the like attached to the exposed surface are removed, and the wettability of the exposed surface is improved. Here, the resist film 16 corresponds to a specific example of the “separation layer” of the present invention.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2A, graphite particles as an electron emitting material and a thermosetting material as a binder (solvent) are covered so as to cover the exposed surfaces of the resist film 16 and the cathode electrode layer 12. A carbon coating containing a resin (for example, acrylic resin or polyimide) is applied by, for example, a spin coating method or a printing method to form a carbon coating film 17a.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2B, for example, the thermosetting resin in a region to be an emitter 17 described later is about 1%.
An infrared ray is irradiated from the substrate 11 side to the carbon coating film 17a side so as to be heated to 10 ° C.

At this time, the gate electrode layer 14 serves as a mask, and the infrared ray does not reach the gate electrode layer 14 or its arrival intensity is greatly attenuated. In the region where the carbon coating film 17a is inclined, the emitter 1
The energy of the infrared rays emitted per unit area is lower than that of the region 7. Therefore, the carbon coating 17a
Of these, the region serving as the emitter 17 is sufficiently heated and cured, so that the adhesion between the carbon coating 17a and the cathode electrode layer 12 is increased, and the adhesion between the carbon particles and the binder (thermosetting resin) is also increased. Become. Here, since carbon having excellent heat absorption is used as the electron-emitting material, the thermosetting resin is uniformly and sufficiently heated. Also, the area that is an inclined surface is not sufficiently heated,
The adhesion between the carbon coating film 17a and the substrate 11 and the adhesion between the carbon particles and the binder are both weaker and weaker than the region serving as the emitter 17. Incidentally, as described above, in the region on the gate electrode layer 14, the infrared ray does not reach or the intensity of the arrival of the infrared ray is greatly attenuated, so that the region is more vulnerable than the region having an inclined surface.

Next, the substrate 11 is placed in, for example, an alkaline solution (eg, an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide (NaOH)) or a photoresist developing solution (eg, AZ400K (manufactured by Clariant Japan)) while applying mechanical force by, for example, ultrasonic waves. The immersion dissolves and removes the resist film 16. At this time, in the fragile region of the carbon coating film 17a, the above-described solution enters inside, and the carbon coating film 17a separates (lifts off) from the substrate 11. 2C, for example, a crown-shaped emitter 17 is formed inside the opening 14a to complete the FEC 10. Here, the emitter 17 is a specific example of the "electron emission portion" of the present invention. This corresponds to an example, and the FEC 10 corresponds to a specific example of the “electron-emitting device” of the present invention.

Finally, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, a display panel 20 in which an anode electrode layer 22 made of a transparent material such as ITO and a fluorescent film 23 made of a phosphor are formed on a transparent substrate 21 made of glass, for example. Is disposed so as to face the substrate 11 to complete the FED. Here, the fluorescent film 23 corresponds to a specific example of the “light emitting portion” of the present invention.

In the FED manufactured as described above, when a voltage is applied to each of the cathode electrode layer 12, the gate electrode layer 14, and the anode electrode layer 22, the emitter 17
, And the emitted electrons collide with the fluorescent film 23. As a result, the fluorescent material is excited at the portion of the fluorescent film 23 where the electrons collide, and light emission occurs, which is extracted in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the transparent substrate 21.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the carbon coating film 1 is formed from the substrate 11 side using the gate electrode layer 14 as a mask.
Since the infrared rays are irradiated toward the 7a side, the carbon coating film 17a is selectively thermally cured. As a result, the adhesive force between the carbon coating film 17a and its underlying layer (here, the cathode electrode layer 12 and the resist film 16), and the force between the carbon particles constituting the carbon coating film 17a and the thermosetting resin. The adhesion can be selectively changed. Accordingly, in a later step, when the emitter 17 is manufactured by lifting off the carbon coating film 17a,
A stable emitter 17 having a desired shape can be manufactured. In addition, thereby, a high-performance FED can be manufactured. Furthermore, when the carbon coating film 17a is cured, it is not necessary to perform delicate temperature control as in the related art, so that the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

Further, since carbon having excellent heat absorption is used as the electron emitting material, the thermosetting resin can be uniformly and sufficiently heated.

(Second Embodiment) The method of manufacturing an FED according to the present embodiment is different from the carbon paint according to the first embodiment in that carbon particles as an electron emitting substance and ultraviolet curable as a binder are used. Resin (for example, RV-1100
(Manufactured by Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd.)) and irradiating ultraviolet rays instead of infrared rays. Other processes are the same as those in the first embodiment. Therefore, the description is omitted here.

In the manufacturing method according to the present embodiment,
As in the first embodiment, the emitter 1 has a stable shape.
7 can be produced.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be variously modified. For example, in the first embodiment, a thermosetting resin is used as a binder, but water glass may be used. This water glass hardens when heated, and has the same function as the above-mentioned thermosetting resin.

Further, in the above embodiment, graphite particles are used as the electron emitting material, but other carbonaceous materials such as diamond-like carbon and diamond may be used. Further, a high melting point metal material such as tungsten or molybdenum may be used.

[0034]

As described above, the method of manufacturing an electron-emitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 or the method of manufacturing a display device according to any one of claims 8 to 12. According to the manufacturing method, light is irradiated from the light-transmitting substrate side using the light-shielding portion as a mask to selectively cure the light-irradiated region of the paint. Force can be varied by region. Further, the adhesion between the electron-emitting substance in the paint and the solvent can be changed depending on the region. Therefore, in the subsequent step, by removing the separation layer, only the paint on the separation layer can be easily separated from the light-transmitting substrate,
There is an effect that a stable electron emission portion having a desired shape can be manufactured. In addition, when the paint is cured, there is no need to perform delicate temperature control as in the related art, so that there is an effect that the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

According to the electron-emitting device according to the sixth or seventh aspect or the display device according to the thirteenth or fourteenth aspect, the electron-emitting portion is formed of a control electrode layer and a control electrode layer of a light-transmitting substrate. A coating containing an electron-emitting substance applied on a region corresponding to the opening of the substrate is selectively cured by light irradiated through the light-transmitting substrate using the control electrode layer as a mask. As a result, the shape of the electron-emitting portion is stable, and the high-performance electron-emitting device in which the electron-emitting portion operates normally can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view for explaining a manufacturing process of an FED according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view for explaining a manufacturing step following FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view for explaining a manufacturing process following FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a conventional FED manufacturing process.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view for explaining a problem of a conventional method of manufacturing an FED.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 FEC, 11 substrate, 12 cathode electrode layer, 1
3 ... insulating layer, 14 ... gate electrode layer, 14a ... opening, 1
5, 16 resist film, 17 emitter, 17a carbon coating film, 20 display panel, 21 transparent substrate, 22
Anode electrode layer, 23 ... fluorescent film

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Koji Inoue 6-7-35 Kita Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Inside Sony Corporation (72) Inventor Shinichi Tatezono 1 Mito, Tako-cho, Katori-gun, Chiba Prefecture Hitachi Powder Metallurgy Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Tsuyoshi Yamagishi 1-Family Mito, Tako-machi, Katori-gun, Chiba F-term (reference) in Hitachi Powder Metallurgy Co., Ltd.

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A method for manufacturing an electron-emitting device having an electron-emitting portion on a light-transmitting substrate, comprising: a step of selectively forming a light-shielding portion on the light-transmitting substrate; A step of selectively forming a separation layer so as to cover the light shielding portion and expose a part of the light transmissive substrate; and on the exposed surface of the separation layer and the light transmissive substrate. Applying a paint containing an electron-emitting substance, irradiating light from the light-transmitting substrate side using the light shielding portion as a mask, and selectively curing the light-irradiated region of the paint; Removing the separating layer to separate the coating material on the separating layer from the light-transmitting substrate, and forming an electron-emitting portion formed by curing the coating material on the light-transmitting substrate. A method for manufacturing an electron-emitting device, comprising: 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: forming a control electrode layer made of a metal material for controlling emission of electrons from the electron-emitting portion on the light-transmitting substrate; 2. The method for manufacturing an electron-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the electron-emitting device is a part. 3. The method for manufacturing an electron-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein a material containing carbon is used as said electron-emitting substance. 4. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the paint uses a material made of a thermosetting resin or water glass as a binder, and in the step of curing the paint, irradiates infrared rays as light. A method for manufacturing an emission element. 5. The electron-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein a material comprising a binder made of an ultraviolet curable resin is used as the paint, and ultraviolet rays are irradiated as light in the step of curing the paint. Production method. 6. An electron-emitting device comprising: a control electrode layer having an opening on a light-transmitting substrate; and an electron-emitting portion formed in a region corresponding to the opening of the control electrode layer. A coating containing an electron-emitting substance applied on a region corresponding to the opening of the control electrode layer of the control electrode layer and the light-transmitting substrate, through the light-transmitting substrate using the control electrode layer as a mask; An electron-emitting device, wherein the electron-emitting device is selectively cured by irradiated light. 7. The electron-emitting device according to claim 6, wherein said electron-emitting substance is made of a material containing carbon. 8. A method for manufacturing a display device, comprising: an electron-emitting device having an electron-emitting portion on a light-transmitting substrate; and a display panel having a light-emitting portion that emits light by collision of electrons emitted from the electron-emitting portion. A step of selectively forming a light-shielding portion on the light-transmitting substrate; and covering the light-shielding portion on the light-transmitting substrate and exposing a part of the light-transmitting substrate. Selectively forming a separation layer as described above, applying a paint containing an electron emitting material on the separation layer and the exposed surface of the light transmitting substrate, and performing the light transmission using the light shielding portion as a mask. Irradiating light from the conductive substrate side, and selectively curing the light-irradiated region of the paint, by removing the separation layer, the paint on the separation layer from the light-transmitting substrate Separate and paint on the light transmissive substrate Method of manufacturing a display device characterized by comprising the step of forming the electron emitting portion formed by curing. 9. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of forming a control electrode layer made of a metal material for controlling emission of electrons from the electron emission portion on the light-transmitting substrate, and forming the control electrode layer with the light shielding. The method for manufacturing a display device according to claim 8, wherein the display device is a unit. 10. The method according to claim 8, wherein a material containing carbon is used as the electron-emitting substance. 11. The display according to claim 8, wherein a material whose binder is a thermosetting resin or water glass is used as the paint, and infrared rays are irradiated as light in the step of curing the paint. Device manufacturing method. 12. The manufacturing method of a display device according to claim 8, wherein a material having a binder made of an ultraviolet curable resin is used as the paint, and ultraviolet rays are irradiated as light in the step of curing the paint. Method. 13. An electron-emitting device having a control electrode layer provided with an opening on a light-transmitting substrate, and an electron-emitting portion formed in a region corresponding to the opening of the control electrode layer; A display panel having a light-emitting portion that emits light by collision of the emitted electrons, wherein the electron-emitting portion corresponds to an opening of the control electrode layer and an opening of the control electrode layer of the light-transmitting substrate. A coating containing an electron-emitting substance applied on the region to be cured is selectively cured by light irradiated through the light-transmitting substrate using the control electrode layer as a mask. Display device. 14. The display device according to claim 13, wherein the electron emission material is made of a material containing carbon.