JP5345326B2 - Flat panel display - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a planar display device configured and composed to bring the bottom surface of a spacer into uniform contact with an electrode to induce no generation of thermorunaway in the spacer. <P>SOLUTION: In the planar display device, a cathode panel having electron emission areas arrayed in a two-dimensional matrix on a supporter and an anode panel having a phosphor area and an anode electrode are joined together via their outer peripheral parts. A space interposed between the cathode panel and the anode panel is held in vacuum. A spacer 40 is disposed between the cathode panel and the anode panel. Pairs of spacer holding parts 50A, 50B are provided in an effective area functioning as a display part of the anode panel. The distance between the pair of spacer holding parts 50A holding an end area 40A of the spacer 40 is narrower than the distance between the pair of spacer holding parts 50B holding a central part 40B of the spacer 40. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a flat display device such as a cold cathode field emission display.

  As an image display device that can replace the mainstream cathode ray tube (CRT), various types of flat display devices have been studied. Examples of such a flat display device include a liquid crystal display device (LCD), an electroluminescence display device (ELD), and a plasma display device (PDP). In addition, development of a flat display device incorporating a cathode panel equipped with an electron-emitting device is also in progress. Here, as the electron-emitting device, a cold cathode field electron-emitting device, a metal / insulating film / metal-type device (also called MIM device), and a surface conduction electron-emitting device are known. A flat display device incorporating a cathode panel provided with the electron-emitting device is attracting attention from the viewpoint of high resolution, high-speed response, high-luminance color display, and low power consumption.

  A cold cathode field emission display device (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as a display device), which is a flat display device incorporating a cold cathode field electron emission device as an electron emission device, generally has a plurality of cold cathode field electron emission. A cathode panel CP provided with an element (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as a field emission element) and an anode panel AP having a phosphor region that emits light when excited by collision with electrons emitted from the field emission element; The cathode panel CP and the anode panel AP are arranged to face each other through a space maintained in a high vacuum, and are joined to each other at a peripheral portion via a joining member. Here, the cathode panel CP has electron emission regions corresponding to the sub-pixels arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, and each electron emission region is provided with one or a plurality of field emission elements. Examples of field emission devices include Spindt type, flat type, edge type, and planar type.

  As an example, a schematic partial end view of a typical display device having a Spindt-type field emission device is shown in FIG. 8, and the cathode panel CP and a part of the anode panel AP when the cathode panel CP and the anode panel AP are disassembled are shown in FIG. FIG. 9 shows a schematic exploded perspective view. The Spindt-type field emission device constituting this display device was formed on the cathode 10 formed on the support 10, the insulating layer 12 formed on the support 10 and the cathode 11, and the insulating layer 12. A gate electrode 13 and an opening 14 provided in the gate electrode 13 and the insulating layer 12 (a first opening 14A provided in the gate electrode 13 and a second opening 14B provided in the insulating layer 12); It is composed of a conical electron emission portion 15 formed on the cathode electrode 11 located at the bottom of the opening 14. An interlayer insulating layer 16 is formed on the insulating layer 12, and a focusing electrode 17 is formed on the interlayer insulating layer 16.

  In this display device, the cathode electrode 11 has a strip shape extending in the column direction (Y direction), and the gate electrode 13 has a strip shape extending in a row direction (X direction) different from the Y direction. In general, the cathode electrode 11 and the gate electrode 13 are formed in directions in which the projected images of both the electrodes 11 and 13 are orthogonal to each other. An overlapping region where the strip-shaped cathode electrode 11 and the strip-shaped gate electrode 13 overlap is an electron emission region EA, which corresponds to one subpixel. The electron emission area EA is an effective area EF of the cathode panel CP (a central display area that performs a display function, which is a practical function as a flat display device), and the invalid area NF corresponds to the effective area EF. They are usually arranged in a two-dimensional matrix within the outer area and surrounding the effective area EF in a frame shape.

  On the other hand, the anode panel AP has phosphor regions 22 having a predetermined pattern on the substrate 20 (specifically, a red light-emitting phosphor region 22R, a green light-emitting phosphor region 22G, and a blue light-emitting phosphor region 22B). The phosphor region 22 is formed and covered with the anode electrode 24. In addition, a space between these phosphor regions 22 is embedded with a light absorbing layer (black matrix) 23 made of a light absorbing material such as carbon to prevent the occurrence of color turbidity and optical crosstalk in the display image. ing. In addition, each of the phosphor regions 22 constituting one subpixel is surrounded by a partition wall 21, and the planar shape of the partition wall 21 is a lattice shape (cross-beam shape). In the figure, reference numeral 40 represents a spacer extending in the row direction (X direction), reference numeral 150 represents a spacer holding portion, and reference numeral 25 represents a joining member. However, in FIG. 8, the spacer holding portions are indicated by reference numerals 50, 60 and 70. Moreover, in FIG. 9, illustration of the partition and the spacer was abbreviate | omitted.

  One subpixel is constituted by an electron emission area EA on the cathode panel side and a phosphor area 22 on the anode panel side facing (facing to) the electron emission area EA. In the effective area EF, pixels (pixels) are arranged on the order of hundreds of thousands to millions, for example. In a display device for color display, one pixel (one pixel) includes a set of a red light emitting subpixel, a green light emitting subpixel, and a blue light emitting subpixel. Then, the anode panel AP and the cathode panel CP are arranged so that the electron emission region EA and the phosphor region 22 are opposed to each other, joined at the peripheral portion via the joining member 25, and then exhausted and sealed. Thus, a display device can be manufactured.

A space surrounded by the anode panel AP, the cathode panel CP, and the bonding member 25 is in a high vacuum (for example, 1 × 10 ⁻³ Pa or less). Therefore, unless the spacer 40 is arranged between the anode panel AP and the cathode panel CP, the display device is damaged by the atmospheric pressure. Therefore, for example, in the image display device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-262939, a positioning member (spacer holding portion) is formed on a black matrix formed on the front plate to form a pair. A support (spacer) is fitted between the positioning members.

  As described above, the spacer holding portion 150 is provided in the effective region EF that functions as a display portion of the anode panel AP, and the anode electrode 24 is formed on the surface of the spacer holding portion 150. Therefore, the spacer 40 fitted in the spacer holding part 150 is in contact with the anode electrode 24. The bottom surface of the spacer 40 is in contact with an electrode, for example, the convergence electrode 17. With such a structure, a minute current flows through the spacer 40 from the top to the bottom.

JP 7-262939 A

  By the way, in such a structure, the bottom surface of the end portion of the spacer 40 may be lifted from the focusing electrode 17. FIG. 14 is a conceptual diagram of the spacer 40 and the like in the boundary region between the effective area EF and the ineffective area NF of the conventional display device as viewed from the side. Here, in FIG. 14, the spacer holding | maintenance part 150 is shown with a dotted line. When such a phenomenon occurs, the heat radiation from the bottom surface of the spacer 40 is deteriorated. As a result, the electrical resistance value in the portion of the spacer 40 where the lift occurs is changed, and so-called thermal runaway may occur. The thermal runaway of the spacer 40 is greatly influenced by the driving voltage and driving current of the flat display device, and is more likely to occur due to the high voltage and current.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a flat display device having a configuration and a structure in which the bottom surface of the spacer and the electrode are in uniform contact with each other and thermal runaway does not occur in the spacer.

The flat panel display device according to the present onset light to an end of the cathode panel, the fluorescent region and an anode electrode is provided with an electron emitting regions arranged in a two-dimensional matrix on a support A flat panel display device in which a space sandwiched between the cathode panel and the anode panel is maintained in a vacuum, and a spacer is provided between the cathode panel and the anode panel. Is arranged, and an effective region functioning as a display portion of the anode panel is provided with a pair of spacer holding portions, and the distance between the pair of spacer holding portions that hold the end region of the spacer is The distance between the spacer holding portions that form a pair for holding the central portion of the spacer is narrower.

In the flat display device according to the present invention, a cathode panel provided with an electron emission region arranged in a two-dimensional matrix on a support and an anode panel provided with a phosphor region and an anode electrode are joined at the outer periphery. A flat display device in which a space between the cathode panel and the anode panel is maintained in a vacuum, and a spacer is disposed between the cathode panel and the anode panel. A pair of spacer holding portions are provided from the effective region functioning as the display portion to the invalid region surrounding the effective region, and the distance between the pair of spacer holding portions that hold the end region of the spacer is The distance between the spacer holding portions that form a pair for holding the central portion of the spacer is narrower.

In the flat display device according to the first aspect, the second aspect, or the third aspect of the present invention including the preferred embodiments described above (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “the present invention”), the cathode Since the space between the panel and the anode panel is maintained in a vacuum state, a spacer is locally provided between the cathode panel and the anode panel so that the flat display device is not damaged by atmospheric pressure. Is arranged. The spacer can be made of ceramics or glass material, for example. When the spacer is made of ceramics, the ceramics include aluminum silicate compounds such as mullite, aluminum oxide such as alumina, barium titanate, lead zirconate titanate, zirconia (zirconium oxide), cordiolite, barium borosilicate, silicic acid. Examples thereof include iron, glass ceramic materials, titanium oxide, chromium oxide, magnesium oxide, iron oxide, vanadium oxide, nickel oxide added thereto, and the like. For example, in Japanese translations of PCT publication No. 2003-524280 The materials described can also be used. Glass materials include high strain point glass, low alkali glass, non-alkali glass, soda glass (Na ₂ O · CaO · SiO ₂ ), borosilicate glass (Na ₂ O · B ₂ O ₃ · SiO ₂ ), Examples thereof include stellite (2MgO · SiO ₂ ), lead glass (Na ₂ O · PbO · SiO ₂ ), and crystalline glass. In addition, it is preferable to chamfer the edge part and ridgeline of the spacer to remove the protruding part and the like. One row of spacers may be composed of a single spacer or a plurality of spacers.

The spacer is, for example,
(A) Ceramic powder, conductivity imparting material powder as a dispersoid, adding a binder to prepare a slurry for green sheet,
(B) A green sheet slurry is formed to obtain a green sheet;
(C) firing the green sheet;
Can be manufactured. After cutting the green sheet fired product, an antistatic film or a resistor film, which will be described later, may be formed, or after forming the antistatic film or resistor film on the green sheet fired product, the green sheet fired product is cut. May be.

  The ceramics mentioned above can be mentioned as a material which comprises the ceramic powder used as the dispersoid of the slurry for green sheets. It should be noted that the conductivity imparting material that is the dispersoid of the green sheet slurry does not necessarily need to exhibit conductivity in the green sheet slurry. The conductivity-imparting material may have a chemical composition that changes when the green sheet is fired, or may have a chemical composition that does not change by firing. Specifically, by firing the green sheet, the conductivity-imparting material in the green sheet is also fired, but it is only necessary that the fired conductivity-imparting material exhibits conductivity. Examples of the conductivity imparting material used as the dispersoid of the slurry for the green sheet include noble metals such as gold and platinum; metal oxides such as molybdenum oxide, niobium oxide, tungsten oxide and nickel oxide; titanium carbide and tungsten carbide. Metal carbides such as nickel carbide; metal salts such as ammonium molybdate. Furthermore, a mixture thereof may be used. That is, the conductivity imparting material may be in the form of a single type of material or in the form of a plurality of types of material. In addition, as a material constituting the binder added to the slurry for the green sheet, an organic binder material (for example, acrylic emulsion, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol) or an inorganic binder material (for example, water glass) ).

It is preferable that an antistatic film or a resistor film is provided on the side surface of the spacer. The material constituting the antistatic film preferably has a secondary electron emission coefficient close to 1. As the material constituting the antistatic film, a semiconductor such as Si or Ge, a semimetal such as graphite, an oxide, or a boride , Carbides, sulfides, nitrides, and the like can be used. More specifically, for example, compounds containing a metalloid element such as a semi-metal and MoSe _x such as _{graphite, CrO x, NdO x, CrAl} x O y, manganese _{oxide, La x Ba 2-x CuO} 4, La x Oxides such as Y _1-x CrO ₃ , borides such as AlB _x and TiB _x , carbides such as SiC, sulfides such as MoS _x and WS _x , and compounds of tungsten nitride and germanium nitride, BN, TiN, Examples thereof include nitrides such as AlN, and further, for example, materials described in JP-T-2004-500688 can be used. Examples of the material constituting the resistor film include ruthenium oxide (RuO _x ) and cermet. The film provided on the surface of the spacer such as an antistatic film may be made of a single kind of material, may be made of a plurality of kinds of materials, or has a single layer structure. It may be a multilayer structure. The antistatic film can also be composed of a mixture of (first metal oxide, second metal oxide). As combinations of (first metal oxide, second metal oxide), (chromium oxide, titanium oxide), (chromium oxide, indium oxide), (manganese oxide, titanium oxide), ( (Manganese oxide, indium oxide), (zinc oxide, titanium oxide) or (zinc oxide, indium oxide). The antistatic film or the like can be formed by a known method such as a sputtering method, a vapor deposition method, or various chemical vapor deposition methods (CVD methods). The antistatic film or the like may be provided directly on the side surface portion of the spacer. For example, a base film for improving adhesion is formed on the spacer, and the antistatic film is formed on the base film. A film or the like may be formed.

Examples of the material constituting the spacer holding portion include photosensitive polyimide resin, lead glass colored in black with a metal oxide such as cobalt oxide, SiO ₂ , and a low melting point glass paste. On the surface (top surface and side surface) of the spacer holding part, a protective layer (for example, SiO ₂ , SiON, or the like, which prevents the electron beam from colliding with the spacer holding part and releasing the gas from the spacer holding part) , Made of AlN).

  Examples of the method for forming the spacer holding portion include a screen printing method, a dry film method, a photosensitive method, a casting method, and a sandblast forming method. Here, in the screen printing method, an opening is formed in a portion of the screen corresponding to a portion where the spacer holding portion is to be formed, and the spacer holding portion forming material on the screen is passed through the opening using a squeegee, In this method, after a spacer holding part forming material layer is formed on a base (for example, a substrate described later), the spacer holding part forming material layer is baked. The dry film method is a method of laminating a photosensitive film on a base, removing a photosensitive film at a portion where a spacer holding portion is to be formed by exposure and development, embedding a material for forming a spacer holding portion in an opening generated by the removal, and baking. It is a method to do. The photosensitive film is burned and removed by baking, and the spacer holding portion forming material embedded in the opening remains, and becomes a spacer holding portion. The photosensitive method is a method in which a spacer holding part forming material layer having photosensitivity is formed on a base, the spacer holding part forming material layer is patterned by exposure and development, and then baked (cured). The casting method (embossing molding method) is to form a spacer holding part forming material layer by extruding a spacer holding part forming material layer made of a paste-like organic material or inorganic material from a mold (cast) onto the ground. Then, the spacer holding part forming material layer is fired. The sand blasting method is, for example, forming a spacer holding portion forming material layer on a base using a screen printing or a metal mask printing method, a roll coater, a doctor blade, a nozzle discharge type coater, etc. In this method, the portion of the spacer holding portion forming material layer where the holding portion is to be formed is covered with a mask layer, and then the exposed portion of the spacer holding portion forming material layer is removed by sandblasting. After forming the spacer holding part, the spacer holding part may be polished to flatten the top surface of the spacer holding part. In addition, you may make a part of partition mentioned later function as a spacer holding | maintenance part.

  The height, thickness, and length of the spacer in the present invention may be determined based on the specifications of the flat display device, and examples of the spacer thickness include 20 μm to 200 μm, for example, 50 μm. The height, thickness, and length of the spacer holding portion or the partition wall to be described later may be determined based on the specifications of the flat display device, and the height can be exemplified by, for example, 20 to 100 μm. As an example, 10-50 micrometers can be illustrated. The interval between the pair of spacer holding portions itself may be determined based on the spacer thickness, forming accuracy, processing accuracy, processing accuracy and forming accuracy of the spacer holding portion.

The cross-sectional shape of the region sandwiched between the paired spacer holding portions when the paired spacer holding portions are cut in a virtual plane perpendicular to the direction in which the spacer extends is the substrate described later The region closer to the width is narrower and wider toward the cathode panel (that is, a kind of “C” shape when assuming that the anode panel is placed on the upper side and the cathode panel is placed on the lower side). preferable. In the flat display device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the distance between the pair of spacer holding portions that hold the end region of the spacer is equal to that of the pair of spacer holding portions that hold the central portion of the spacer. Although it is narrower than the interval, in order to achieve such a state, the shape of the letter C may be optimized. The distance from the reference surface of the anode panel to the bottom surface in the end region of the spacer held by the spacer holding portion is L _E , and the distance to the bottom surface in the center portion of the spacer held by the spacer holding portion is L _C. When
3 × 10 ⁻⁶ m ≦ L _E −L _C ≦ 1 × 10 ⁻⁵ m
Can be illustrated.

  In the flat display device according to the second aspect of the present invention, a pair of spacer holding parts are provided from the effective area to the ineffective area, but the area occupied by the spacer holding part provided in the ineffective area The length along the axial direction of the spacer can be 1 mm to 10 mm, depending on the specifications of the flat display device.

In the flat display device according to the third aspect of the present invention, the protrusion contacting the top surface of the spacer may be made of, for example, the same material as the material forming the spacer holding part, and the method of forming the protrusion For example, a method similar to the method of forming the spacer holding portion may be employed. Examples of the height of the protrusion include 3 × 10 ⁻⁶ (3 μm) m to 1 × 10 ⁻⁵ m (10 μm). The length of the protrusion along the spacer axis is essentially arbitrary, and the width of the protrusion along the direction perpendicular to the spacer axis is also essentially arbitrary.

  In the present invention, the number of spacer holding portions relative to the unit length of the spacer, or the ratio of the contact length of the spacer holding portion to the unit length of the spacer is essentially arbitrary, and is a specification required for the flat display device. Depending on the situation, it may be determined appropriately.

  In the present invention, the spacer holding portion is covered with the anode electrode. Accordingly, the spacer held by the spacer holding portion is in contact with the anode electrode. The bottom surface of the spacer is in contact with an electrode, for example, a focusing electrode. Therefore, a minute current flows through the spacer from the top to the bottom.

  When the assembled flat display device is disassembled, a spacer mark usually remains on the portion of the electrode that has been in contact with the bottom surface of the spacer. By observing the trace of the spacer, the trace of the spacer in the portion of the electrode that was in contact with the end region of the spacer is similar to the trace of the spacer in the portion of the electrode that was in contact with the center portion of the spacer. If so, it can be determined that the contact state with respect to the electrode in the end region of the spacer and the contact state with respect to the electrode in the central portion of the spacer are the same. On the contrary, the spacer mark in the electrode part that was in contact with the end region of the spacer and the spacer mark in the electrode part that was in contact with the center part of the spacer are the same mark. In the flat display device according to the first aspect of the invention, the distance between the pair of spacer holding portions that hold the end region of the spacer, the distance between the pair of spacer holding portions that hold the center portion of the spacer, The interval may be determined, and in the flat display device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the pair of spacer holding portions that hold the end regions of the spacers are divided into the effective region and the ineffective region. It suffices to determine the extent to be provided from the boundary portion (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as “boundary portion”) toward the inside of the effective area. Similarly, in the flat display device according to the second aspect of the present invention, it is only necessary to determine the extent to which the spacer holding portion should be provided in the invalid area, In the flat display device according to the third aspect of the present invention, the thickness and length of the protrusion contacting the top surface of the spacer may be determined.

  In the present invention, cold cathode field emission devices (hereinafter abbreviated as field emission devices), metal / insulating film / metal type devices (MIM devices), surface conduction electron emission are used as the electron emission devices constituting the electron emission region. An element can be mentioned. Further, as a flat display device, a flat display device (cold cathode field electron emission display device) provided with a cold cathode field emission device, a flat display device incorporating an MIM element, and a surface conduction electron emission device are incorporated. And a flat display device.

Here, when the flat display device is a cold cathode field emission display device including a field emission device, the field emission device is:
(A) a strip-shaped cathode electrode formed on a support;
(B) an insulating layer formed on the support and the cathode electrode;
(C) a strip-shaped gate electrode formed on the insulating layer;
(D) an opening provided in a portion of the gate electrode and the insulating layer located in an overlapping region where the cathode electrode and the gate electrode overlap, and an exposed portion of the cathode electrode at the bottom; and
(E) an electron emission portion provided on the cathode electrode exposed at the bottom of the opening, the electron emission being controlled by application of a voltage to the cathode electrode and the gate electrode;
Consists of.

  The type of the field emission device is not particularly limited, and a Spindt-type field emission device (a field emission device in which a conical electron emission portion is provided on the cathode electrode positioned at the bottom of the opening) or a flat type field emission device A field emission device having any configuration and structure such as an element (a field emission device in which a substantially planar electron emission portion is provided on a cathode electrode positioned at the bottom of an opening) can be used. In the cathode panel, an overlapping region where the gate electrode and the cathode electrode overlap constitutes an electron emission region, and the electron emission regions are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, and each electron emission region has one or a plurality of field emission elements. An element is provided. The projection image of the cathode electrode and the projection image of the gate electrode are preferably orthogonal from the viewpoint of simplifying the structure of the cold cathode field emission display.

  In the cold cathode field emission display device, a strong electric field generated by the voltage applied to the gate electrode and the cathode electrode is applied to the electron emission portion during actual display operation. Electrons are emitted. The electrons are attracted to the anode panel by the anode electrode provided on the anode panel, and collide with the phosphor region. As a result of the collision of electrons with the phosphor region, the phosphor region emits light and can be recognized as an image.

In the cold cathode field emission display, the cathode electrode is connected to the cathode electrode control circuit, the gate electrode is connected to the gate electrode control circuit, and the anode electrode is connected to the anode electrode control circuit. Note that these control circuits can be constituted by known circuits. During actual display operation, the voltage (anode voltage) V _A applied to the anode electrode from the anode electrode control circuit is normally constant, and can be set to, for example, 5 kilovolts to 15 kilovolts. Alternatively, when the distance between the anode panel and the cathode panel is d ₀ (where 0.5 mm ≦ d ₀ ≦ 10 mm), the value of V _A / d ₀ (unit: kilovolt / mm) is 0. It is desirable to satisfy 5 or more and 20 or less, preferably 1 or more and 10 or less, and more preferably 4 or more and 8 or less. During actual display operation of the cold cathode field emission display device, for example, with respect to the voltage V _C applied to the cathode electrode and the voltage V _G applied to the gate electrode, a voltage modulation method or a pulse width modulation method is adopted as a gradation control method. can do.

A field emission device can be generally manufactured by the following method.
(1) forming a cathode electrode on a support;
(2) forming an insulating layer on the entire surface (on the support and the cathode electrode);
(3) forming a gate electrode on the insulating layer;
(4) forming an opening in a portion of the gate electrode and the insulating layer in a region where the cathode electrode and the gate electrode overlap, and exposing the cathode electrode at the bottom of the opening;
(5) A step of forming an electron emission portion on the cathode electrode located at the bottom of the opening.

Alternatively, the field emission device can be manufactured by the following method.
(1) forming a cathode electrode on a support;
(2) forming an electron emission portion on the cathode electrode;
(3) forming an insulating layer on the entire surface (on the support and the electron emission portion or on the support, the cathode electrode and the electron emission portion);
(4) forming a gate electrode on the insulating layer;
(5) A step of forming an opening in a portion of the gate electrode and the insulating layer in the overlapping region of the cathode electrode and the gate electrode, and exposing the electron emission portion at the bottom of the opening.

  In the present invention, when a focusing electrode (focus electrode) is provided, a structure in which an interlayer insulating layer is further provided on the gate electrode and the insulating layer, and a focusing electrode is provided on the interlayer insulating layer, or A focusing electrode can be provided above the gate electrode. Here, the focusing electrode is an electrode for converging the trajectory of emitted electrons that are emitted from the opening and directed toward the anode electrode, thereby improving the luminance and preventing optical crosstalk between adjacent pixels. It is. In a so-called high voltage type cold cathode field emission display, the potential difference between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode is on the order of several kilovolts or more and the distance between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode is relatively long. The electrode is particularly effective. A relatively negative voltage (for example, 0 volts) is applied to the focusing electrode from the focusing electrode control circuit. The focusing electrode control circuit can be configured from a known circuit. The focusing electrode does not necessarily have to be individually formed so as to surround each of the electron emission portion or the electron emission region provided in the overlapping region where the cathode electrode and the gate electrode overlap, for example, the electron emission portion or The electron emission regions may be extended along a predetermined arrangement direction, or the electron emission portion or the electron emission region may be surrounded by a single convergence electrode (that is, the convergence electrode may be formed in the entire effective region). In this case, a single sheet-like structure covering the plurality of electron emission portions or electron emission regions can be provided with a common convergence effect. Note that an opening (third opening) is provided in the focusing electrode and the interlayer insulating layer.

  Here, the effective area is a central display area that performs a display function that is a practical function as a flat display device, and the ineffective area is located outside the effective area, and the effective area is framed. Besieged.

As constituent materials of the cathode electrode, the gate electrode, and the focusing electrode, chromium (Cr), aluminum (Al), tungsten (W), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta), molybdenum (Mo), copper (Cu), gold ( Various metals including metals such as Au), silver (Ag), titanium (Ti), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), zirconium (Zr), iron (Fe), platinum (Pt), zinc (Zn); Alloys (for example, MoW) or compounds (for example, TiW; nitrides such as TiN and WN; silicides such as WSi ₂ , MoSi ₂ , TiSi ₂ , and TaSi ₂ ); semiconductors such as silicon (Si); Examples thereof include carbon thin films such as diamond; conductive metal oxides such as ITO (indium oxide-tin), indium oxide, and zinc oxide. The gate electrode, the cathode electrode, and the focusing electrode can have a single layer structure or a stacked structure of these materials. In addition, as a method for forming these electrodes, for example, a physical vapor deposition method (PVD method) including a vacuum evaporation method such as an electron beam evaporation method or a hot filament evaporation method, a sputtering method, an ion plating method, or a laser ablation method; Various CVD methods; screen printing methods; inkjet printing methods; metal mask printing methods; plating methods (electroplating methods and electroless plating methods); lift-off methods; sol-gel methods, etc., and these methods and etching A combination with the law can also be mentioned. Here, by appropriately selecting the formation method, it is possible to directly form a patterned strip-shaped cathode electrode, gate electrode, and focusing electrode.

  In the Spindt-type field emission device, as the material constituting the electron emission portion, molybdenum, molybdenum alloy, tungsten, tungsten alloy, titanium, titanium alloy, niobium, niobium alloy, tantalum, tantalum alloy, chromium, chromium alloy, and And at least one material selected from the group consisting of silicon (polysilicon and amorphous silicon) containing impurities. The electron emission portion of the Spindt-type field emission device can be formed by various PVD methods such as a sputtering method and a vacuum deposition method, and various CVD methods.

In the flat field emission device, it is preferable that the material constituting the electron emission portion is composed of a material having a work function Φ smaller than that of the material constituting the cathode electrode. What is necessary is just to determine based on the work function of the material which comprises a cathode electrode, the electric potential difference between a gate electrode and a cathode electrode, the magnitude | size of the emission electron current density requested | required, etc. Alternatively, the material constituting the electron emission portion may be appropriately selected from materials in which the secondary electron gain δ of the material is larger than the secondary electron gain δ of the conductive material constituting the cathode electrode. Good. In the flat type field emission device, carbon, more specifically, amorphous diamond or graphite, a carbon nanotube structure (carbon nanotube and / or graphite nanofiber), as a particularly preferable constituent material of the electron emission portion, Examples thereof include ZnO whiskers, MgO whiskers, SnO ₂ whiskers, MnO whiskers, Y ₂ O ₃ whiskers, NiO whiskers, ITO whiskers, In ₂ O ₃ whiskers, and Al ₂ O ₃ whiskers. In addition, the material which comprises an electron emission part does not necessarily need to be provided with electroconductivity.

  Planar shape of the first opening (opening formed in the gate electrode) or the second opening (opening formed in the insulating layer) (shape when the opening is cut in a virtual plane parallel to the support surface) ) Can be any shape such as a circle, an ellipse, a rectangle, a polygon, a rounded rectangle, a rounded polygon. The formation of the first opening can be performed by, for example, anisotropic etching, isotropic etching, a combination of anisotropic etching and isotropic etching, or, depending on the method of forming the gate electrode, The first opening can also be formed directly. The second opening can also be formed by, for example, anisotropic etching, isotropic etching, or a combination of anisotropic etching and isotropic etching. The formation of the third opening provided in the focusing electrode and the interlayer insulating layer can be performed in the same manner.

  In the field emission device, depending on the structure of the field emission device, one electron emission portion may exist in one opening, or a plurality of electron emission portions may exist in one opening. In addition, a plurality of first openings are provided in the gate electrode, one second opening communicating with the first opening is provided in the insulating layer, and one or more are provided in one second opening provided in the insulating layer. There may be an electron emission portion.

In the field emission device, a resistor thin film may be formed between the cathode electrode and the electron emission portion. By forming the resistor thin film, the operation of the field emission device can be stabilized, the electron emission characteristics can be made uniform, and the leakage current between the cathode electrode and the gate electrode can be suppressed. As a material constituting the resistor thin film, a carbon resistor material such as silicon carbide (SiC) or SiCN, a semiconductor resistor material such as SiN or amorphous silicon, a high melting point such as ruthenium oxide (RuO ₂ ), tantalum oxide, or tantalum nitride. Examples thereof include metal oxides and refractory metal nitrides. Examples of the method for forming the resistor thin film include a sputtering method, a CVD method, and various printing methods. The electric resistance value per one electron emitting portion may be about 1 × 10 ⁵ to 1 × 10 ¹¹ Ω, preferably several MΩ to several tens of gigaΩ.

Insulating layer, as a constituent material of the interlayer insulating _{layer, SiO 2, BPSG, PSG,} BSG, AsSG, PbSG, SiON, SOG ( spin on glass), low-melting glass, SiO ₂ based materials such glass paste; SiN-based materials; polyimide These insulating resins can be used alone or in appropriate combination. For the formation of the insulating layer and the interlayer insulating layer, known processes such as various printing methods such as a CVD method, a coating method, a sputtering method, and a screen printing method can be used.

In the present invention, the substrate constituting the cathode panel or the substrate constituting the anode panel only needs to be formed of an insulating member on the surface where these substrates are opposed to each other. Examples include a glass substrate with a coating film, a quartz substrate, a quartz substrate with an insulating coating formed on the surface, and a semiconductor substrate with an insulating coating formed on the surface. Or it is preferable to use the glass substrate in which the insulating film was formed in the surface. As glass substrates, high strain point glass, low alkali glass, soda glass (Na ₂ O · CaO · SiO ₂ ), borosilicate glass (Na ₂ O · B ₂ O ₃ · SiO ₂ ), forsterite (2MgO · SiO ₂₎ ), Lead glass (Na ₂ O · PbO · SiO ₂ ), and alkali-free glass.

In the flat display device, as a configuration example of the anode electrode and the phosphor region,
(1) A configuration in which an anode electrode is formed on a substrate and a phosphor region is formed on the anode electrode. (2) A configuration in which a phosphor region is formed on the substrate and an anode electrode is formed on the phosphor region. Can be mentioned. In the configuration (1), a so-called metal back film that is electrically connected to the anode electrode may be formed on the phosphor region. In the configuration (2), a metal back film may be formed on the anode electrode. The metal back film can also serve as the anode electrode.

The anode electrode may be composed of one anode electrode as a whole, or may be composed of a plurality of anode electrode units. In the latter case, it is preferable that the anode electrode unit and the anode electrode unit are electrically connected by an anode electrode resistor layer. The material constituting the anode electrode resistor layer includes carbon-based materials such as carbon, silicon carbide (SiC), and SiCN; SiN-based materials; ruthenium oxide (RuO ₂ ), tantalum oxide, tantalum nitride, chromium oxide, titanium oxide, and the like. Examples thereof include melting point metal oxides and high melting point metal nitrides; semiconductor materials such as amorphous silicon; ITO. It is also possible to realize a stable desired sheet resistance value by combining a plurality of films such as laminating a carbon thin film having a low resistance value on the SiC resistance film. Examples of the sheet resistance value of the anode electrode resistor layer include 1 × 10 ⁻¹ Ω / □ to 1 × 10 ¹⁰ Ω / □, preferably 1 × 10 ³ Ω / □ to 1 × 10 ⁸ Ω / □. it can. The number of anode electrode units [UN] may be two or more. For example, when the total number of phosphor regions arranged in a straight line is [un], [UN] = [un], or , [Un] = u · [UN] (u is an integer of 2 or more, preferably 10 ≦ u ≦ 100, more preferably 20 ≦ u ≦ 50), or spacers arranged at a constant interval. The number of pixels can be a number obtained by adding 1, or the number of pixels or the number of subpixels can be matched, or the number of pixels or the number of subpixels can be an integer. The size of each anode electrode unit may be the same regardless of the position of the anode electrode unit, or may vary depending on the position of the anode electrode unit. An anode electrode resistor layer may be formed on one anode electrode as a whole. As described above, if the anode electrode is divided into anode electrode units having a smaller area, instead of being formed over almost the entire effective area, the static electricity between the anode electrode unit and the electron emission area is formed. The electric capacity can be reduced. As a result, the occurrence of discharge can be reduced, and the occurrence of damage to the anode electrode and the electron emission region due to the discharge can be effectively reduced.

  When the anode electrode is composed of an anode electrode unit and a partition wall (described later) is formed, the anode electrode unit may be formed so as to extend from each phosphor region to the partition wall side surface. it can. The anode electrode unit may be formed from each phosphor region to the middle of the side wall of the partition wall.

The anode electrode (including the anode electrode unit) may be formed using a conductive material layer. As a method for forming the conductive material layer, for example, vacuum deposition methods such as electron beam deposition method and hot filament deposition method, various PVD methods such as sputtering method, ion plating method and laser ablation method; various CVD methods; various methods including screen printing method Examples thereof include printing method; metal mask printing method; lift-off method; sol-gel method. That is, a conductive material layer is formed, and based on lithography technology and etching technology, this conductive material layer can be patterned to form an anode electrode. Alternatively, the anode electrode can be obtained by forming a conductive material based on the PVD method or various printing methods through a mask or screen having a pattern of the anode electrode. The anode electrode resistor layer can also be formed by the same or similar method as the anode electrode. That is, an anode electrode resistor layer may be formed from a resistor material, and the anode electrode resistor layer may be patterned based on a lithography technique and an etching technique, or a mask or a screen having an anode electrode resistor layer pattern. The anode electrode resistor layer can be obtained by forming the resistor material through the PVD method and various printing methods. 3 × 10 ⁻⁸ m (30 nm) to 1 as the average thickness of the anode electrode on the substrate (or above the substrate) (when the partition is provided as described later, the average thickness of the anode electrode on the top surface of the partition) Examples include x10 ⁻⁶ m (1 μm), preferably 5 × 10 ⁻⁸ m (50 nm) to 5 × 10 ⁻⁷ m (0.5 μm).

As the constituent material of the anode electrode, aluminum (Al), molybdenum (Mo), chromium (Cr), tungsten (W), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta), gold (Au), silver (Ag), titanium (Ti ), Cobalt (Co), zirconium (Zr), iron (Fe), platinum (Pt), zinc (Zn), etc .; alloys or compounds containing these metal elements (for example, nitrides such as TiN, WSi ₂ , MoSi ₂ , TiSi ₂ , TaSi _2, etc.); silicon (Si), semiconductors; diamond, graphite and other carbon thin films; ITO (indium oxide-tin), indium oxide, zinc oxide, etc., conductive metal oxides Can be illustrated. When the anode electrode resistor layer is formed, the anode electrode is preferably made of a conductive material that does not change the electric resistance value of the anode electrode resistor layer. For example, the anode electrode resistor layer is made of silicon carbide (SiC). When comprised, it is preferable to comprise an anode electrode from molybdenum (Mo) or aluminum (Al).

  The phosphor region may be composed of monochromatic phosphor particles or may be composed of three primary color phosphor particles. The arrangement pattern of the phosphor regions is, for example, a dot shape. Specifically, when the flat display device is a color display, examples of the arrangement and arrangement of the phosphor regions include a delta arrangement, a stripe arrangement, a diagonal arrangement, and a rectangle arrangement. That is, one row of the phosphor regions arranged in a straight line is occupied by the row occupied by the red light emitting phosphor region, the row occupied by the green light emitting phosphor region, and the blue light emitting phosphor region. May be composed of a row in which a red light-emitting phosphor region, a green light-emitting phosphor region, and a blue light-emitting phosphor region are sequentially arranged. Here, the phosphor region is defined as a phosphor region that generates one bright spot on the anode panel. One pixel (one pixel) is composed of a set of one red light emitting phosphor region, one green light emitting phosphor region, and one blue light emitting phosphor region, and one subpixel is one phosphor. The region is composed of one red light emitting phosphor region, one green light emitting phosphor region, or one blue light emitting phosphor region. A gap between adjacent phosphor regions may be filled with a light absorption layer (black matrix) for the purpose of improving contrast.

  For the phosphor region, a luminescent crystal particle composition prepared from luminescent crystal particles is used. For example, a red photosensitive luminescent crystal particle composition (red light-emitting phosphor slurry) is applied to the entire surface and exposed. And developing to form a red light emitting phosphor region, and then applying a green photosensitive luminescent crystal particle composition (green light emitting phosphor slurry) to the entire surface, exposing and developing, and then producing a green light emitting phosphor. A region is formed, and further, a blue photosensitive luminescent crystal particle composition (blue light emitting phosphor slurry) is coated on the entire surface, exposed and developed to form a blue light emitting phosphor region. be able to. Alternatively, each phosphor region may be formed by a screen printing method, an ink jet printing method, a float coating method, a sedimentation coating method, a phosphor film transfer method, or the like. Although the average thickness of the phosphor region on the substrate is not limited, it is desirably 3 μm to 20 μm, preferably 5 μm to 10 μm. The phosphor material constituting the luminescent crystal particles can be appropriately selected from conventionally known phosphor materials. In the case of color display, a phosphor material whose color purity is close to the three primary colors specified by NTSC, white balance is achieved when the three primary colors are mixed, the afterglow time is short, and the afterglow time of the three primary colors is almost equal. It is preferable to combine them.

  It is preferable from the viewpoint of improving the contrast of the display image that the light absorption layer that absorbs light from the phosphor region is formed between adjacent phosphor regions or between a partition wall and a substrate described later. Here, the light absorption layer functions as a so-called black matrix. As a material constituting the light absorption layer, it is preferable to select a material that absorbs 90% or more of light from the phosphor region. Such materials include carbon, metal thin films (eg, chromium, nickel, aluminum, molybdenum, etc., or alloys thereof), metal oxides (eg, chromium oxide), metal nitrides (eg, chromium nitride), heat resistance Materials such as photosensitive organic resins, glass pastes, glass pastes containing conductive particles such as black pigments and silver, and specifically, photosensitive polyimide resins, chromium oxides, and chromium oxide / chromium laminated films Can be illustrated. In the chromium oxide / chromium laminated film, the chromium film is in contact with the substrate. The light absorption layer depends on the material used, for example, a combination of a vacuum deposition method, a sputtering method and an etching method, a combination of a vacuum deposition method, a sputtering method, a spin coating method and a lift-off method, various printing methods, a lithography technique, etc. Thus, it can be formed by a method selected as appropriate.

  In order to prevent an electron recoiled from the phosphor region or a secondary electron emitted from the phosphor region from entering another phosphor region, so-called optical crosstalk (color turbidity) is generated. It is preferable to provide a partition wall. Examples of the method for forming the partition include the same method as the method for forming the spacer holding portion described above. Moreover, the material which comprises a partition can also illustrate the same material as the material which comprises a spacer holding part. After the partition wall is formed, the partition wall may be polished to flatten the top surface of the partition wall. As a planar shape of the part surrounding the phosphor region in the partition wall (corresponding to the inner contour line of the projected image of the partition wall side surface and a kind of opening region), a rectangular shape, a circular shape, an elliptical shape, an oval shape, a triangular shape, Examples include pentagonal or more polygonal shapes, rounded triangular shapes, rounded rectangular shapes, rounded polygons, etc., and linear shapes extending parallel to two sides of the phosphor region (Rod-like shape). By arranging these planar shapes (planar shapes of the opening regions) in a two-dimensional matrix, a lattice-like partition is formed. This two-dimensional matrix-like arrangement may be arranged, for example, like a cross or like a zigzag.

The cathode panel and the anode panel are joined at the peripheral part, but the joining may be performed by using an adhesive layer as a joining member, or a rod-like or frame-like (frame-like) insulating rigidity such as glass or ceramics. You may carry out using the joining member which consists of the frame body comprised from material and an adhesive layer. When using a joining member consisting of a frame and an adhesive layer, the height of the frame is appropriately selected, so that the cathode panel and the anode panel are compared with the case where a joining member consisting only of the adhesive layer is used. It is possible to set the facing distance between the longer. The material constituting the adhesive layer is generally a frit glass such as B ₂ O ₃ —PbO-based frit glass or SiO ₂ —B ₂ O ₃ —PbO-based frit glass, but has a melting point of about 120 to 400 ° C. These so-called low melting point metal materials may be used. Such low melting point metal materials include In (indium: melting point 157 ° C.); indium-gold based low melting point alloy; Sn ₈₀ Ag ₂₀ (melting point 220 to 370 ° C.), Sn ₉₅ Cu ₅ (melting point 227 to 370 ° C.) C) tin (Sn) type high temperature solder such as Pb _97.5 Ag _2.5 (melting point 304 ° C.), Pb _94.5 Ag _5.5 (melting point 304 to 365 ° C.), Pb _97.5 Ag _1.5 Sn _1.0 (melting point 309 ° C.), etc. Lead (Pb) high temperature solder; zinc (Zn) high temperature solder such as Zn ₉₅ Al ₅ (melting point 380 ° C.); Sn ₅ Pb ₉₅ (melting point 300 to 314 ° C.), Sn ₂ Pb ₉₈ (melting point 316 to 322) Tin-lead standard solder such as ° C); brazing material such as Au ₈₈ Ga ₁₂ (melting point 381 ° C) (the above subscripts all represent atomic%).

  When joining the three members of the cathode panel, the anode panel, and the joining member, the three members may be joined at the same time, or in the first stage, either the cathode panel or the anode panel and the joining member are joined, In the second stage, the other of the cathode panel or the anode panel and the joining member may be joined. If the three-party simultaneous bonding or the second stage bonding is performed in a high vacuum atmosphere, the space surrounded by the cathode panel, the anode panel, and the bonding member becomes a vacuum simultaneously with the bonding. Alternatively, after the three members are joined, the space surrounded by the cathode panel, the anode panel, and the joining member can be evacuated to create a vacuum. When exhausting after joining, the atmosphere pressure during joining may be either normal pressure or reduced pressure, and the gas constituting the atmosphere may be nitrogen gas or a gas belonging to Group 0 of the periodic table (for example, Ar gas) ) Is preferable, but it can also be performed in the atmosphere.

  When exhaust is performed, the exhaust can be performed through an exhaust pipe called a tip pipe connected in advance to the cathode panel and / or the anode panel. The exhaust pipe is typically a glass pipe, or a metal or alloy having a low coefficient of thermal expansion [for example, an iron (Fe) alloy containing 42 wt% nickel (Ni), 42 wt% nickel (Ni), A hollow tube made of an iron (Fe) alloy containing 6 wt% chromium (Cr)], and the above-mentioned frit glass or After being joined using a low melting point metal material and the space has reached a predetermined degree of vacuum, it is sealed off by thermal fusion or sealed by crimping. In addition, if the whole flat display device is once heated and then cooled before sealing, it is preferable because residual gas can be released into the space, and this residual gas can be removed out of the space by exhaust. .

  In the present invention, when the number of pixels is M × N, as (M, N), specifically, VGA (640, 480), S-VGA (800, 600), XGA (1024, 768), APRC (1152,900), S-XGA (1280,1024), U-XGA (1600,1200), HD-TV (1920,1080), Q-XGA (2048,1536), (1920,1035) , (720, 480), (1280, 960), and the like, some of the image display resolutions can be exemplified, but are not limited to these values.

In the flat display device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the interval between the pair of spacer holding portions that hold the end region of the spacer is the interval between the pair of spacer holding portions that hold the central portion of the spacer. Narrower than. Therefore, as a result of obtaining the relationship of L _E −L _C > 0, it is possible to reliably prevent the phenomenon that the bottom surface of the spacer is lifted from the electrode in the end region of the spacer. Further, in the flat display device according to the second aspect of the present invention, since the spacer holding portion that is paired from the effective region of the anode panel to the ineffective region is provided, in the end region of the spacer It is possible to reliably prevent the phenomenon that the bottom surface of the spacer is lifted from the electrode. Furthermore, in the flat display device according to the third aspect of the present invention, the protrusion of the spacer in contact with the top surface of the spacer is provided on the portion of the anode panel in the ineffective area of the anode panel. In the end region, it is possible to reliably prevent the phenomenon that the bottom surface of the spacer is lifted from the electrode. As a result of the above, it is possible to reliably prevent the occurrence of a phenomenon in which, as a result of heat dissipation from the bottom surface of the spacer, the electrical resistance value in the end region of the spacer eventually changes and thermal runaway occurs. And a flat display device having high reliability can be provided.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on examples with reference to the drawings. Prior to that, a common outline of flat display devices in examples 1 to 3 will be described below. Here, the flat display devices in Examples 1 to 3 are cold cathode field emission display devices (hereinafter abbreviated as display devices). In the display devices according to the first to third embodiments, the strip-shaped gate electrode (for example, scanning electrode) extends in the row direction (X direction), and the strip-shaped cathode electrode (for example, data electrode) extends in the column direction (Y direction). It extends to.

  A schematic partial end view of the display device in the embodiment is the same as that shown in FIG. 8, and a schematic exploded perspective view of a part of the cathode panel CP and the anode panel AP when the cathode panel CP and the anode panel AP are disassembled. The figure is similar to that shown in FIG. That is, the display device in the embodiment includes a cathode panel CP including electron emission regions EA arranged in a two-dimensional matrix along the row direction (X direction) and the column direction (Y direction) on the support 10; The phosphor region 22 and the anode panel AP provided with the anode electrode 24 are joined at the outer periphery.

Here, the display device according to the embodiment includes an effective area EF and an invalid area NF surrounding the effective area EF. The effective area EF is a display area located substantially in the center that performs a practical image display function as a display device. The effective area EF is surrounded by an ineffective area NF that surrounds the frame. The space sandwiched between the cathode panel CP and the anode panel AP is maintained in a vacuum (pressure: for example, 10 ⁻³ Pa or less). The ineffective area NF of the cathode panel CP is provided with a through hole (not shown) for evacuation, and in this through hole, an exhaust pipe (not shown) called a chip tube that is sealed after evacuation. Is attached.

In the embodiment, the field emission device constituting the electron emission region EA is constituted by, for example, a Spindt type field emission device. Spindt-type field emission devices
(A) a strip-shaped cathode electrode 11 formed on the support 10;
(B) an insulating layer 12 formed on the support 10 and the cathode electrode 11;
(C) a strip-shaped gate electrode 13 formed on the insulating layer 12;
(D) An opening 14 (provided in the gate electrode 13) provided in a portion of the gate electrode 13 and the insulating layer 12 located in the overlapping region where the cathode electrode 11 and the gate electrode 13 overlap, with the cathode electrode 11 exposed at the bottom. 14A of 1st opening parts, 2nd opening part 14B provided in the insulating layer 12, and,
(E) an electron emitting portion 15 provided on the cathode electrode 11 exposed at the bottom of the opening 14 and whose electron emission is controlled by applying a voltage to the cathode electrode 11 and the gate electrode 13;
It is composed of Here, the shape of the electron emission portion 15 is a conical shape. An interlayer insulating layer 16 is formed on the insulating layer 12, and a focusing electrode 17 is formed on the interlayer insulating layer 16.

  In the display device of the embodiment, the cathode electrode 11 and the gate electrode 13 are each formed in a strip shape in a direction (column direction and row direction) in which the projected images of the electrodes 11 and 13 are orthogonal to each other. A plurality of field emission elements are provided in a region where the projected images of both electrodes overlap (corresponding to a region corresponding to one sub-pixel (sub-pixel), which is an electron emission region EA). For simplification of the drawing, FIG. 8 shows two electron emission portions 15 in each electron emission area EA. The electron emission areas EA are usually arranged in a two-dimensional matrix as described above in the effective area EF (area that functions as an actual display portion) of the cathode panel CP.

  A spacer 40 is disposed between the cathode panel CP and the anode panel AP. The spacer 40 is provided on the anode panel AP, and is held by a pair of spacer holding portions 50, 60, and 70. Although details of the spacer holding portion will be described later, the spacer holding portions 50, 60, and 70 are constituted by a part of the partition wall 21 described below.

  The anode panel AP includes a substrate 20, a phosphor region 22 formed on the substrate 20 and having a predetermined pattern, and an anode electrode 24 formed thereon. One sub-pixel (one sub-pixel) includes an electron emission area EA and a phosphor area 22 on the anode panel side facing the electron emission area EA. In the effective area EF, the sub-pixels are arranged on the order of several hundred thousand to several million, for example. A light absorption layer (black matrix) 23 is formed on the substrate 20 between the phosphor region 22 and the phosphor region 22 in order to prevent color turbidity of the display image and occurrence of optical crosstalk. ing. The anode electrode 24 is made of aluminum (Al) having a thickness of about 0.3 μm, is in the form of a thin sheet that covers the effective region EF, and is provided so as to cover the phosphor region 22. In FIG. 9, illustration of partition walls, spacers, and spacer holding portions is omitted. In the case of a color display device, one pixel (one pixel) is composed of a set of one red light emitting phosphor region 22R, one green light emitting phosphor region 22G, and one blue light emitting phosphor region 22B. Has been. A grid-like partition wall 21 surrounding each phosphor region 22 is formed on the substrate 20. Each phosphor region 22 is surrounded by a partition wall 21. The planar shape (corresponding to the inner contour line of the projected image of the partition wall side surface and a kind of opening region) of the portion surrounding the phosphor region 22 in the lattice-shaped partition wall 21 is a rectangular shape (rectangle), and these planes The shape (planar shape of the opening region) is arranged in a two-dimensional matrix (more specifically, a cross beam), and a lattice-like partition wall 21 is formed.

In the display device of the embodiment, a flat spacer 40 extending in the row direction (X direction) is provided between the cathode panel CP and the anode panel AP in the P column (specifically, a 20-inch display device). If there are, 7). The spacer 40 is made of alumina (Al ₂ O ₃ , purity 99.8% by weight), and the resistance value between the top surface and the bottom surface of the spacer 40 is about 1 × 10 ¹⁰ Ω (about ¹⁰ GΩ, specific resistance value). About 6 × 10 ⁷ Ω · m). Further, an antistatic film 41 (shown only in FIG. 8) made of chromium oxide (CrO _x ) having a thickness of 4 nm is formed on the side surface of the spacer 40 based on the RF sputtering method. Chromium oxide has a relatively small secondary electron emission coefficient and is a very preferable material for the antistatic film under the condition that the spacer 40 is positively charged.

  The partition wall 21 also serving as the spacer holding portions 50, 60, 70 is made of a photosensitive polyimide resin, and is formed by a photosensitive method. Specifically, a barrier rib-forming material layer (photosensitive polyimide resin layer) having photosensitivity is formed on the substrate 20 as a base, and the barrier rib-forming material layer is patterned by exposure and development, and then fired (cured). ), The partition wall 21 that also serves as the spacer holding portions 50, 60, and 70 is formed. The height of the partition wall 21 that also serves as the spacer holding portions 50, 60, and 70 is, for example, 40 μm. The pair of spacer holding portions 50, 60, 70 and the spacer holding when the pair of spacer holding portions 50, 60, 70 are cut in a virtual plane perpendicular to the direction in which the spacer 40 extends (X direction). The cross-sectional shape of the region sandwiched between the portions 50, 60, and 70 is such that the region closer to the substrate 20 is narrower and wider toward the cathode panel CP (that is, the anode panel AP is up and the cathode panel CP is It is a kind of “C” shape when it is assumed to be arranged below. Similarly, a protrusion 71 described later is also made of a photosensitive polyimide resin and is formed by a photosensitive method.

  The spacer holding portions 50, 60 and 70 are covered with the anode electrode 24. Therefore, the spacer 40 held by the spacer holding portions 50, 60, 70 is in contact with the anode electrode 24. The bottom surface of the spacer 40 is in contact with the focusing electrode 17. Therefore, a minute current flows through the spacer 40 from the top to the bottom.

In the display device in the embodiment, the cathode electrode 11 is connected to the cathode electrode control circuit 31, the gate electrode 13 is connected to the gate electrode control circuit 32, the focusing electrode 17 is connected to the focusing electrode control circuit (not shown), The anode electrode 24 is connected to the anode electrode control circuit 33. At the time of actual display operation of the display device, the anode voltage V _A applied from the anode electrode control circuit 33 to the anode electrode 24 is normally constant, for example, 5 kilovolts to 15 kilovolts, specifically, for example, 9 kilovolts. (For example, d ₀ = 2.0 mm). On the other hand, regarding the voltage V _C applied to the cathode electrode 11 and the voltage V _G applied to the gate electrode 13 during the actual display operation of the display device,
(1) A method in which the voltage V _C applied to the cathode electrode 11 is constant and the voltage V _G applied to the gate electrode 13 is changed. (2) The voltage V _C applied to the cathode electrode 11 is changed and applied to the gate electrode 13. changing the voltage V _C is applied the voltage V _G to the method (3) a cathode electrode 11, fixed to, and, any method to change the voltage V _G applied to the gate electrode 13 may be employed but, In the display device in the embodiment, the above-described method (2) is adopted.

That is, during the actual display operation of the display device, a relatively negative voltage (V _C ) is applied to the cathode electrode 11 from the cathode electrode control circuit 31, and a relatively positive voltage (V _G ) is applied to the gate electrode 13. For example, 0 V is applied from the focusing electrode control circuit to the focusing electrode 17, and a higher positive voltage (anode voltage V _A ) than the gate electrode 13 is applied to the anode electrode 24. 33 is applied. In such a display device, when an image is displayed by a line sequential driving method, for example, a video signal is input from the cathode electrode control circuit 31 to the cathode electrode 11 and a scanning signal is input from the gate electrode control circuit 32 to the gate electrode 13. . Alternatively, when the cathode electrode 11 is used as a scanning electrode and the gate electrode 13 is used as a data electrode, a scanning signal is input to the cathode electrode 11 from the cathode electrode control circuit 31, and a video signal is input to the gate electrode 13 from the gate electrode control circuit 32. What is necessary is just to input a signal. Electrons are emitted from the electron emitter 15 based on the quantum tunnel effect due to an electric field generated when a voltage is applied between the cathode electrode 11 and the gate electrode 13, and the electrons are attracted to the anode electrode 24. It passes through and collides with the phosphor region 22. As a result, the phosphor region 22 is excited to emit light, and a desired image can be obtained. That is, the operation of this display device is basically controlled by the voltage V _G applied to the gate electrode 13 and the voltage V _C applied to the cathode electrode 11. The cathode electrode 11 is driven by a cathode electrode drive driver, and the gate electrode 13 is driven by a gate electrode drive driver. The cathode electrode control circuit 31, the gate electrode control circuit 32, the anode electrode control circuit 33, and the drive driver can be composed of known circuits.

Example 1 relates to a flat display device according to the first aspect of the present invention. In the first embodiment, the effective region EF functioning as the display portion of the anode panel is provided with a pair of spacer holding portions 50, but is a pair that holds the end region 40 </ b> A of the spacer 40. The distance between the spacer holding portions 50A (see W _{E in} FIG. 1A) is the distance between the pair of spacer holding portions 50B that hold the central portion 40B of the spacer 40 (W _{C in} FIG. 1B). Narrower than reference). The cross-sectional shape of the region sandwiched between the pair of spacer holding portions 50 and the spacer holding portion 50 when the pair of spacer holding portions 50 is cut in a virtual plane perpendicular to the direction in which the spacer 40 extends is shown. 1 (A) and 1 (B). 1A shows a spacer holding portion 50A that is a pair that holds the end region 40A of the spacer 40, and FIG. 1B shows a pair that holds the central portion 40B of the spacer 40. The spacer holding part 50B which became is shown. FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of the spacers 40 and the like in the effective area EF and the invalid area NF viewed from the side. In FIG. 2, the spacer holding portions 50A and 50B are indicated by dotted lines.

The cross-sectional shape of the region sandwiched between the pair of spacer holding portions 50 and the spacer holding portion 50 is a kind of “C” that is narrower in the region closer to the substrate 20 and wider toward the cathode panel CP. Shape. Here, the interval W _E between the pair of spacer holding portions 50A that hold the end region 40A of the spacer 40 is larger than the interval W _C between the pair of spacer holding portions 50B that hold the central portion 40B of the spacer 40. Although narrow, in order to achieve such a state, the shape of the letter C should be optimized. In Example 1, the interval W _S between the spacer holding portions 50A and 50B in contact with the substrate 20 was made equal. Specifically, when the ridge line formed by the top surface and the side surface of the spacer 40 is in contact with the opposing surface of the spacer holding portion 50, the spacer holding portion 50A is a pair. It is located on the substrate side. The distance from the reference surface of the anode panel AP to the bottom surface 40a of the end region 40A of the spacer 40 held by the spacer holding portion 50A is L _E , and the bottom surface of the central portion 40B of the spacer 40 held by the spacer holding portion 50B When the distance to 40b is L _C ,
L _E −L _C = 5 × 10 ⁻⁶ (5 μm)
The paired spacer holding portions 50A and 50B were designed so that

When the assembled display device is disassembled, the mark of the spacer 40 usually remains in the portion of the focusing electrode 17 that has been in contact with the bottom surface of the spacer 40. By observing the trace of the spacer 40, the trace of the spacer 40 in the portion of the convergent electrode 17 in contact with the end region 40A of the spacer 40 and the portion of the convergent electrode 17 in contact with the central portion 40B of the spacer 40 If the trace of the spacer 40 is the same, the contact state of the end region 40A of the spacer 40 with the focusing electrode 17 and the contact state of the central portion 40B of the spacer 40 with the focusing electrode 17 are the same. It can be judged. Therefore, the trace of the spacer 40 in the portion of the focusing electrode 17 that has been in contact with the end region 40A of the spacer 40 is the same as the trace of the spacer 40 in the portion of the focusing electrode 17 that has been in contact with the central portion 40B of the spacer 40. The distance W _E between the pair of spacer holding portions 50A that hold the end region 40A of the spacer 40 and the distance between the pair of spacer holding portions 50B that hold the center portion 40B of the spacer 40 W _C may be determined. Similarly, in Example 2 to be described later, it is only necessary to determine the extent to which the spacer holding portion 60 should be provided in the invalid area NF, and in Example 3, the spacer What is necessary is just to determine the thickness and length of the projection part 71 which contact | connects the 40 top surface.

In the first embodiment, as described above, the distance W _E between the pair of spacer holding portions 50A that hold the end region 40A of the spacer 40 is equal to the pair of spacers that hold the central portion 40B of the spacer 40. It is narrower than the interval W _C of the holding portion 50B. Therefore, as described above, L _E > L _C can be achieved, and in the end region 40A of the spacer 40, the spacer 40 strikes the focusing electrode 17 more strongly than the central portion 40B of the spacer 40. Yes. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the phenomenon that the bottom surface 40a of the spacer 40 is lifted from the focusing electrode 17 in the end region 40A of the spacer 40. Therefore, as a result of poor heat dissipation from the bottom surface of the spacer 40, the electrical resistance value in the end region 40A of the spacer 40 eventually changes, and the occurrence of a phenomenon such as thermal runaway can be reliably prevented. A display device with high reliability can be provided.

In the example described above, the interval W _S between the spacer holding portions 50A and 50B in contact with the substrate 20 is made equal, and the interval W between the pair of spacer holding portions 50A holding the end region 40A of the spacer 40 is set. _E is made narrower than the interval W _C between the spacer holding portions 50B that form a pair for holding the central portion 40B of the spacer 40. That is, the inclination angle of the side surface of the spacer holding portion 50A is made larger than the inclination angle of the side surface of the spacer holding portion 50B (see FIGS. 1A and 1B). However, in order to make the interval between the pair of spacer holding portions 50A that hold the end region 40A of the spacer 40 narrower than the interval between the pair of spacer holding portions 50B that hold the central portion 40B of the spacer 40, For example, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the inclination angle of the side surface of the spacer holding portion 50A and the inclination angle of the side surface of the spacer holding portion 50B are not limited to such a form. And the interval W _E ′ of the portion of the spacer holding portion 50 A in contact with the substrate 20 may be made narrower than the interval W _C ′ of the portion of the spacer holding portion 50 B in contact with the substrate 20.

  Example 2 relates to a flat display device according to the second aspect of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of the spacer 40 and the like in the vicinity of the boundary between the effective area EF and the ineffective area NF of the display device according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the arrangement state of the spacer 40 and the like. Show. In FIG. 4, the spacer holding portion is indicated by a dotted line (spacer holding portion 60B) and a one-dot chain line (spacer holding portion 60A). Further, in FIG. 5, the spacer holding portions 60 </ b> A and 60 </ b> B and the partition wall 21 are hatched to clearly show them. Even in the display device according to the second embodiment, the spacer 40 is disposed between the cathode panel CP and the anode panel AP. From the effective area EF that functions as a display portion of the anode panel AP, the effective area EF A pair of spacer holding portions 60A and 60B are provided over the invalid area NF surrounding the.

  Here, the length of the region occupied by the spacer holding portion 60A provided in the invalid region NF along the axial direction of the spacer 40 from the boundary portion is, for example, 1 mm to 4 mm, depending on the specifications of the display device. is there.

  In the second embodiment, since the spacer holding portion 60A is provided up to the invalid region NF, a phenomenon occurs in which the bottom surface 40a of the spacer 40 is lifted from the focusing electrode 17 in the end region 40A of the spacer 40. This can be surely prevented.

  Even in the second embodiment, substantially in the same manner as in the first embodiment, the distance between the spacer holding portions 60A (located in the invalid area NF) that holds the end region 40A of the spacer 40 is as follows. The spacer 40 can be configured to be narrower than the distance between the spacer holding portions 60B that form a pair for holding the central portion 40B of the spacer 40.

  Example 3 relates to a flat display device according to the third aspect of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram of the spacer 40 and the like in the vicinity of the boundary between the effective area EF and the ineffective area NF of the display device according to the third embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the arrangement state of the spacer 40 and the like. Show. In FIG. 6, the spacer holding portion is indicated by a dotted line. Further, in FIG. 7, in order to clearly show the spacer holding portion 70, the partition wall 21, and the protruding portion 71, they are hatched. Even in the display device of the third embodiment, the spacer 40 is disposed between the cathode panel CP and the anode panel AP. However, in the ineffective area NF surrounding the effective area EF that functions as a display portion of the anode panel AP. A projection 71 that contacts the top surface 40 c of the spacer 40 is provided on the anode panel AP. The protrusion 71 made of a photosensitive polyimide resin and formed by the photosensitive method has a height of 8 μm, a length of 0.2 mm, and a width of 0.3 mm. Moreover, the distance from the edge part of the projection part 71 to the boundary part of the effective area | region EF and the invalid area | region NF is 1.5 mm-3.5 mm.

  Even if the protrusion 71 is provided in this way, the contact state between the spacer 40 and the spacer holding part 70 does not change particularly. By providing the projection 71, it is possible to reliably prevent the phenomenon that the bottom surface 40a of the spacer 40 is lifted from the focusing electrode 17 in the end region 40A of the spacer 40.

  In the third embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the distance between the pair of spacer holding portions (located in the invalid region NF) that holds the end region 40A of the spacer 40 is the spacer For example, the distance between the spacer holding portions that are paired to hold the central portion 40B of 40 can be reduced. Similarly to the second embodiment, a pair of spacer holding portions are provided from the effective area EF functioning as the display portion of the anode panel AP to the invalid area NF surrounding the effective area EF. be able to. Furthermore, the first embodiment, the second embodiment, and the third embodiment can be combined.

  Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 10A to 10C and FIGS. 11A to 11B which are schematic partial end views of the substrate 20 and the like constituting the anode panel AP, A method for manufacturing an anode panel of a display device and a method for manufacturing a display device will be described.

[Step-A1]
First, a grid-like partition wall 21 is formed on the substrate 20 (see FIG. 10A). The partition wall 21 also functions as the spacer holding portions 50, 60, and 70. Specifically, after forming the photosensitive polyimide resin layer on the substrate 20 based on the coating method, the photosensitive polyimide resin layer is selectively removed by photolithography technique and development, and then the remaining photosensitive polyimide resin layer Is fired to form the grid-like partition walls 21 and the spacer holding portions 50, 60, 70. The size of the opening region of the partition wall 21 was approximately vertical × horizontal × height = 280 μm × 100 μm × 40 μm. Before forming the partition walls 21, it is preferable to form a light absorption layer (black matrix) 23 made of, for example, chromium oxide on the surface of the portion of the substrate 20 where the partition walls 21 are to be formed. Specifically, a low melting point glass paste colored black with a metal oxide such as cobalt oxide is printed on the substrate 20 by a screen printing method, and then the low melting point glass paste is baked to form a lattice-shaped light. The absorption layer 23 may be formed. In addition, the thickness of the light absorption layer 23 was about 8 μm.

[Step-A2]
Next, the phosphor region 22 is formed on the portion of the substrate 20 surrounded by the partition wall 21 (see FIG. 10B). Specifically, in order to form the red light emitting phosphor region 22R, for example, a red light emitting phosphor slurry in which red light emitting phosphor particles are dispersed in, for example, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) resin and water and ammonium dichromate is further added. Then, the red light emitting phosphor slurry is dried. Thereafter, the portion of the red light emitting phosphor slurry in which the red light emitting phosphor region 22R is to be formed is irradiated with ultraviolet rays from the substrate side to expose the red light emitting phosphor slurry. The red light emitting phosphor slurry is gradually cured from the substrate side. The thickness of the red light-emitting phosphor region 22R to be formed is determined by the amount of ultraviolet light applied to the red light-emitting phosphor slurry. Here, for example, the irradiation time of the ultraviolet light with respect to the red light emitting phosphor slurry is adjusted so that the thickness of the red light emitting phosphor region 22R is about 8 μm. Thereafter, the red light-emitting phosphor region 22R can be formed in a predetermined region by developing the red light-emitting phosphor slurry. Hereinafter, the green light emitting phosphor region 22G is formed by performing the same process on the green light emitting phosphor slurry, and further, the blue light emitting phosphor region 22B is formed by performing the same process on the blue light emitting phosphor slurry. Form. The method for forming the phosphor region is not limited to the method described above, and each phosphor region may be formed by, for example, a screen printing method.

[Step-A3]
Thereafter, a resin layer 80 is formed on the top surface of the partition wall 21 and on the phosphor region 22 (see FIG. 10C). Specifically, the resin layer 80 can be formed based on a metal mask printing method or a screen printing method. Next, the resin layer 80 is dried. That is, the substrate 20 is carried into a drying furnace and dried at a predetermined temperature. The drying temperature of the resin layer 80 is preferably in the range of 50 ° C. to 90 ° C., for example, and the drying time of the resin layer 80 is preferably in the range of several minutes to several tens of minutes, for example. Of course, as the drying temperature increases and decreases, the drying time decreases.

[Step-A4]
After that, an anode electrode 24 that covers the display area is formed (see FIG. 11A). Specifically, the anode electrode 24 made of aluminum (Al) is formed by various vapor deposition methods or sputtering methods so as to cover the resin layer 80 formed on the top surface of the partition wall 21 and the phosphor region 22. . The thickness of the formed anode electrode 24 was about 0.3 μm.

[Step-A5]
Next, the heat treatment is performed to remove the resin layer 80 (see FIG. 11B). Specifically, the resin layer 80 is baked at about 400 ° C. By this baking treatment, the resin layer 80 is burned and burned, and the anode electrode 24 made of aluminum (Al) is left on the phosphor region 22 and the partition wall 21. The gas generated by the combustion of the resin layer 80 is discharged to the outside through, for example, fine holes generated in the anode electrode 24. Since the holes are fine, they do not seriously affect the structural strength and image display characteristics of the anode electrode 24. Through the above steps, the anode panel AP can be completed.

[Step-A6]
A cathode panel CP on which field emission elements are formed is prepared. A method of manufacturing the field emission device will be described next. Then, the display device is assembled. Specifically, for example, the spacer 40 is attached to the spacer holding portions 50, 60, 70 provided in the anode panel AP, and the anode panel AP and the cathode panel CP are arranged so that the phosphor region 22 and the electron emission region EA face each other. The anode panel AP and the cathode panel CP (more specifically, the substrate 20 and the support 10) are connected to each other via a joining member 25 made of a frame body having a height of about 2 mm made of ceramics or glass. And joining at the peripheral edge. At the time of joining, frit glass as an adhesive layer is applied to the joining part between the joining member 25 and the anode panel AP and the joining part between the joining member 25 and the cathode panel CP, and the frit glass is dried by pre-baking. Then, the anode panel AP, the cathode panel CP, and the joining member 25 are bonded together, and the main baking is performed at about 450 ° C. for 10 to 30 minutes. Thereafter, the space surrounded by the anode panel AP, the cathode panel CP, and the joining member 25 is exhausted through a through hole (not shown) and an exhaust pipe (not shown), so that the pressure in the space becomes about 10 ⁻⁴ Pa. When it reaches, the exhaust pipe is sealed by heating and melting. In this way, the space surrounded by the anode panel AP, the cathode panel CP, and the bonding member 25 can be evacuated. Alternatively, for example, the bonding member 25, the anode panel AP, and the cathode panel CP may be bonded in a high vacuum atmosphere. Alternatively, depending on the structure of the display device, the anode panel AP and the cathode panel CP may be bonded together by using only an adhesive layer without a frame. Thereafter, wiring connection with necessary external circuits is performed, and the display device is completed.

  12A and 12B, and FIGS. 13A and 13B, which are schematic partial end views of the support 10 and the like constituting the cathode panel. A description will be given with reference to B). In the method described below, the description of the process of forming the interlayer insulating layer 16 and the focusing electrode 17 is omitted.

  This Spindt-type field emission device can be basically obtained by a method of forming the conical electron emission portion 15 by vertical vapor deposition of a metal material. That is, the vapor deposition particles are perpendicularly incident on the first opening 14A provided in the gate electrode 13, but use the shielding effect by the overhanging deposit formed near the opening end of the first opening 14A. Thus, the amount of vapor deposition particles reaching the bottom of the second opening 14B is gradually reduced, and the electron emission portion 15 that is a conical deposit is formed in a self-aligning manner. Here, a method of forming the separation layer 18 in advance over the gate electrode 13 and the insulating layer 12 in order to facilitate removal of unnecessary overhang-like deposits will be described. In the drawing for explaining the method of manufacturing the field emission device, only one electron emission portion is shown.

[Step-B0]
First, a cathode electrode conductive material layer made of, for example, polysilicon is formed on the support 10 made of, for example, a glass substrate by a plasma CVD method, and then the cathode electrode conductive material layer is formed based on a lithography technique and a dry etching technique. Is patterned to form a strip-like cathode electrode 11. Thereafter, an insulating layer 12 made of SiO _{2 is} formed on the entire surface by a CVD method.

[Step-B1]
Next, a gate electrode conductive material layer (for example, a TiN layer) is formed on the insulating layer 12 by sputtering, and then the gate electrode conductive material layer is patterned by a lithography technique and a dry etching technique. Thus, the strip-shaped gate electrode 13 can be obtained. The strip-shaped cathode electrode 11 extends in the left-right direction in the drawing, and the strip-shaped gate electrode 13 extends in the direction perpendicular to the drawing.

  The gate electrode 13 is formed by a well-known thin film such as a PVD method such as a vacuum evaporation method, a CVD method, a plating method such as an electroplating method or an electroless plating method, a screen printing method, a laser ablation method, a sol-gel method, a lift-off method. You may form by the combination of formation and an etching technique as needed. According to the screen printing method or the plating method, for example, a strip-shaped gate electrode can be directly formed.

[Step-B2]
Thereafter, a resist layer is formed again, the first opening 14A is formed in the gate electrode 13 by etching, the second opening 14B is formed in the insulating layer, and the cathode electrode 11 is formed at the bottom of the second opening 14B. After the exposure, the resist layer is removed. Thus, the structure shown in FIG. 12A can be obtained.

[Step-B3]
Next, nickel (Ni) is obliquely vapor-deposited on the insulating layer 12 including the gate electrode 13 while rotating the support 10 to form a release layer 18 (see FIG. 12B). At this time, by selecting a sufficiently large incident angle of the vapor deposition particles with respect to the normal of the support 10 (for example, an incident angle of 65 to 85 degrees), nickel is hardly deposited on the bottom of the second opening 14B. A release layer 18 can be formed on the gate electrode 13 and the insulating layer 12. The release layer 18 protrudes in a bowl shape from the opening end of the first opening 14A, whereby the diameter of the first opening 14A is substantially reduced.

[Step-B4]
Next, for example, molybdenum (Mo) is vertically deposited as an electrically conductive material on the entire surface (incident angle: 3 to 10 degrees). At this time, as shown in FIG. 13A, as the conductive member layer 19 having an overhang shape grows on the release layer 18, the substantial diameter of the first opening 14A is gradually reduced. The vapor deposition particles that contribute to the deposition at the bottom of the second opening 14B are gradually limited to those that pass near the center of the first opening 14A. As a result, a conical deposit is formed at the bottom of the second opening 14 </ b> B, and this conical deposit becomes the electron emission portion 15.

[Step-B5]
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 13B, the peeling layer 18 is peeled off from the surfaces of the gate electrode 13 and the insulating layer 12 by a lift-off method, and the conductive member layer 19 above the gate electrode 13 and the insulating layer 12 is selected. To remove. Thus, a cathode panel in which a plurality of Spindt type field emission devices are formed can be obtained. After that, it is preferable to perform isotropic etching to retract the side wall surface of the insulating layer 12 in the opening 14 so that the end of the gate electrode 13 protrudes in the first opening of the gate electrode 13. .

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated based on the preferable Example, this invention is not limited to these Examples. The configurations and structures of the flat display device, the cathode panel and the anode panel, the cold cathode field emission display device and the cold cathode field emission device described in the embodiments are examples, and can be changed as appropriate. The display device has been described by taking color display as an example, but it may also be a single color display.

  In the field emission device, a mode in which one electron emission portion corresponds to one opening has been described. However, depending on the structure of the field emission device, a mode in which a plurality of electron emission portions correspond to one opening. Alternatively, one electron emission portion may correspond to a plurality of openings. Alternatively, a plurality of first openings may be provided in the gate electrode, a second opening connected to the plurality of first openings related to the insulating layer may be provided, and one or a plurality of electron emission portions may be provided. .

The electron emission region can also be constituted by an electron emission element commonly called a surface conduction electron emission element. This surface conduction electron-emitting device is formed on a support made of glass, for example, tin oxide (SnO ₂ ), gold (Au), indium oxide (In ₂ O ₃ ) / tin oxide (SnO ₂ ), carbon, palladium oxide ( A pair of electrodes made of a conductive material such as (PdO), having a very small area and arranged with a predetermined gap (gap) are formed in a matrix. A carbon thin film is formed on each electrode. The row direction wiring is connected to one electrode (for example, the first electrode) of the pair of electrodes, and the column direction wiring is connected to the other electrode (for example, the second electrode) of the pair of electrodes. It has a configuration. By applying a voltage to the pair of electrodes (first electrode and second electrode), an electric field is applied to the carbon thin films facing each other across the gap, and electrons are emitted from the carbon thin film. By causing the electrons to collide with the phosphor region on the anode panel, the phosphor region is excited to emit light, and a desired image can be obtained. Alternatively, the electron emission region can be formed from a metal / insulating film / metal type element.

1A and 1B show a pair when the pair of spacer holding portions cut in a virtual plane perpendicular to the direction in which the spacer extends in the flat display device of Example 1. FIG. FIG. 1A shows a cross-sectional shape of a region sandwiched between spacer holding portions and a spacer holding portion. FIG. 1A shows a pair of spacer holding portions that hold the end region of the spacer. 1 (B) shows the spacer holding part which became the pair which hold | maintains the center part of a spacer. FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of the spacer and the like in the vicinity of the boundary between the effective area and the ineffective area of the flat display device according to the first embodiment when viewed from the side. FIGS. 3A and 3B show a modification of the flat display device according to the first embodiment when the pair of spacer holding portions cut in a virtual plane perpendicular to the direction in which the spacer extends is cut. It is a figure which shows the cross-sectional shape of the area | region pinched | interposed by the spacer holding part and spacer holding part which became a pair, (A) of FIG. 3 shows the spacer holding part which became the pair holding the edge part area | region of a spacer. FIG. 3B shows a pair of spacer holding portions that hold the central portion of the spacer. FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of a spacer or the like in the vicinity of the boundary between the effective area and the ineffective area of the flat display device according to the second embodiment as viewed from the side. FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing the arrangement state of spacers in the effective area and the ineffective area in the flat display device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram of a spacer and the like in the vicinity of the boundary between the effective area and the ineffective area of the flat display device according to the third embodiment as viewed from the side. FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing the arrangement state of the spacers in the effective area and the ineffective area in the flat display device according to the third embodiment. FIG. 8 is a schematic partial end view of a cold cathode field emission display device having a Spindt type cold cathode field emission device as a flat display device. FIG. 9 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a part of the cathode panel and the anode panel when the cathode panel and the anode panel constituting the cold cathode field emission display shown in FIG. 8 are disassembled. FIGS. 10A to 10C are schematic partial end views of a substrate and the like for explaining a method of manufacturing an anode panel constituting the flat display device of the embodiment. 11A to 11B are schematic partial end faces of a substrate and the like for explaining a method for manufacturing an anode panel constituting the flat display device of the embodiment, following FIG. 10C. FIG. FIGS. 12A and 12B are schematic partial end views of a support and the like for explaining a method of manufacturing a Spindt-type cold cathode field emission device. FIGS. 13A and 13B are schematic partial end views of a support and the like for explaining the manufacturing method of the Spindt-type cold cathode field emission device following FIG. 12B. . FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram for explaining problems in a conventional flat display device.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Support body, 11 ... Cathode electrode, 12 ... Insulating layer, 13 ... Gate electrode, 14, 14A, 14B ... Opening part, 15 ... Electron emission part, 16 ... Interlayer insulation layer, 17 ... convergence electrode, 18 ... release layer, 19 ... conductive member layer, 20 ... substrate, 21 ... partition, 22, 22R, 22G, 22B ... fluorescence Body region, 23 ... light absorption layer (black matrix), 24 ... anode electrode, 25 ... joining member, 31 ... cathode electrode control circuit, 32 ... gate electrode control circuit, 33 ... -Anode electrode control circuit, 40 ... spacer, 40A ... end region of spacer, 40B ... center portion of spacer, 40a ... bottom surface of spacer in end region, 40b ... in center region Spacer bottom, 40c ... space 41 ... Antistatic film, 50, 60, 70 ... Spacer holding part, 50A, 60A ... Spacer holding part for holding the end region of the spacer, 50B, 60B ... Spacer holding portion for holding the central portion, 71 ... projection, 80 ... resin layer, CP ... cathode panel, AP ... anode panel, EA ... electron emission region, EF ... effective Area, NF ... Invalid area

Claims (2)

A cathode panel having electron emission regions arranged in a two-dimensional matrix on a support and an anode panel having a phosphor region and an anode electrode are joined at the outer periphery, and the cathode panel and the anode panel A flat display device in which a space sandwiched between is held in a vacuum,
A spacer is arranged between the cathode panel and the anode panel,
The effective area that functions as the display part of the anode panel is provided with a pair of spacer holding parts,
A flat panel display device, characterized in that the distance between the pair of spacer holding parts for holding the end region of the spacer is narrower than the distance between the paired spacer holding parts for holding the central part of the spacer. A cathode panel having electron emission regions arranged in a two-dimensional matrix on a support and an anode panel having a phosphor region and an anode electrode are joined at the outer periphery, and the cathode panel and the anode panel A flat display device in which a space sandwiched between is held in a vacuum,
A spacer is arranged between the cathode panel and the anode panel,
A pair of spacer holding portions are provided from the effective area functioning as the display part of the anode panel to the invalid area surrounding the effective area .
Spacing of the spacer holding portion paired for holding the end region of the spacer, narrow flat surface type display device you characterized than the distance between the spacer holding portions paired to hold the central portion of the spacer.

Images