JPH1116489A - Image display device and its manufacture - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To cause impurity gas in an image display panel to be absorbed and cause the impurity gas not to remain in the panel, by discharging internal gas by baking previously a getter at the time of evacuation of the image display panel and by heating and activating this getter after introduction of inert gas and sealing. SOLUTION: In this method, a chip exhaust tube 9 being formed on a PDP panel 6 and a getter assembly 5 being built in the chip exhaust tube 9 of this PDP panel 6, the PDP panel 6 is evacuated while this getter assembly 5 is baked. Nextly, inert gas 107 is introduced into the evacuated PDP panel 6 and the chip exhaust tube 9 including the getter assembly 5 of the PDP panel 6 after the introduction of the inert gas is cut and sealed in the middle thereof. Then, this getter assembly 5 is activated while the getter assembly 5 in the sealed chip exhaust tube 9 of the gas sealed PDP panel 6 is heated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image display device suitable for application to a plasma addressed liquid crystal display device, a plasma display device, and the like, and a method of manufacturing the same. More specifically, at the time of evacuation of the image display panel, the getter is pre-baked to release the internal gas, and after the inert gas introduction and sealing of the image display panel is subsequently performed, the getter is locally heated from the outside. The present invention relates to an image display apparatus and a method of manufacturing the same, which, when activated, absorb moisture, nitrogen gas, carbon dioxide gas (hereinafter referred to as impurity gas) in the image display panel, and do not allow the impurity gas to remain in the panel. It is.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a plasma addressed liquid crystal display (Plasma Addr) having a shorter depth than a cathode ray tube (CRT) has been developed.
ress Liquid Crystal Display (hereinafter also referred to as PALC panel) or plasma display device (Plasma Display Pa)
nnel; hereinafter also referred to as PDP panel).

For example, in a PDP panel, electrodes are formed on one surface of two glass substrates, respectively, and the electrode forming surfaces are opposed to each other while maintaining a discharge gap (distance between electrodes for plasma discharge). After the substrate is hermetically sealed by interposing a spacer around the edge of the substrate, the flat panel is evacuated and an inert gas such as Ne, Ar or Kr is introduced.

In such a flat panel, since the discharge gap is as small as about 200 to 300 μm, the ultimate vacuum degree is limited only by evacuation using a sputter ion pump, a turbo pump, a rotary pump, etc. After the sealing, the impurity gas remains in the image display panel. Therefore, a gettering step of absorbing the impurity gas remaining in the panel by the getter is employed.

In this gettering step, first, a getter such as a ZrAl (zirconium aluminum) alloy stored in a drying container or a nitrogen box is incorporated into a getter pool formed on an image display panel.
Thereafter, the image display panel is evacuated using a rotary pump, a turbo pump, an ion pump, or the like. An inert gas is introduced into the image display panel after evacuation, and the image display panel after gas introduction is cut off by gas sealing. The getter in the gas-sealed tip tube is heated and activated.

Accordingly, even in a flat panel having a discharge gap of about 200 to 300 μm, which cannot be evacuated by a sputter ion pump, a turbo pump, a rotary pump, or the like, the impurity gas remaining in the panel can be absorbed by the getter. Have.

[0007]

However, since the getter is stored in a drying container, a nitrogen box, or the like, water, nitrogen gas, carbon dioxide, and the like contained in the getter are unintentionally removed during the gettering step. In many cases, it is activated and becomes a released gas and diffuses into the image display panel.

The gas diffused here is absorbed by the getter together with the gas originally remaining in the image display panel. However, the gas absorption capability of the getter is reduced by the amount of the gas re-absorbed by the getter itself. It causes a phenomenon called so-called self-poisoning.

Due to this phenomenon, gas released from the getter remains in the image display panel, and the released gas causes abnormal discharge of the image display panel and spatters the electrodes, thereby accelerating the deterioration of the electrodes. Therefore, there is a problem in that the life of the image display panel is hindered, and the reliability and display quality are reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and when the image display panel is evacuated, the getter is baked in advance to release the internal gas. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image display device in which an impurity gas in an image display panel is absorbed by activating the substrate while being heated, and the impurity gas is not left in the panel, and a method of manufacturing the same.

[0011]

According to a method of manufacturing an image display device according to the present invention, a step of incorporating a getter into an image display panel, a step of vacuuming the image display panel while burning the getter, Introducing an inert gas into the pulled image display panel, gas sealing the image display panel after introducing the inert gas, and heating the getter in the gas sealed image display panel. Activating the getter.

In the method for manufacturing an image display device according to the present invention, the getter incorporated in the image display panel is burned in a vacuum during evacuation before introducing and sealing the inert gas into the image display panel to release gas. Therefore, by activating the getter while heating after the inert gas introduction sealing,
Impurity gases such as moisture, nitrogen gas and carbon dioxide gas can be absorbed from the image display panel several times more than the gas emitted by the self in comparison with the conventional gettering process.

[0013] Therefore, since these impurity gases can be wiped out of the image display panel, abnormal discharge caused by the impurity gases as in the prior art is eliminated, electrode deterioration due to sputtering is eliminated, and the electrode life is extended. The life of the display device can be extended.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a manufacturing apparatus used in a method of manufacturing an image display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the present embodiment, the getter is pre-baked when the image display panel is evacuated, and
By absorbing moisture, nitrogen gas, carbon dioxide gas (hereinafter referred to as impurity gas), etc. in the image display panel after the introduction and sealing of the inert gas, the impurity gas was prevented from remaining in the panel.

A method of manufacturing a plasma display panel (hereinafter, referred to as a PDP panel) 6 as an example of an image display device will be described. For example, in a device used for evacuation of the PDP panel 6, cut-off of inert gas introduction sealing and gettering processing, a joint 101 is connected to a chip exhaust pipe 9 of the PDP panel 6 as shown in FIG. 1. This joint 1
01 is provided with a branch pipe 103,
A is branched into a gas introduction pipe 102B.

A main valve 103 is connected to the end of the evacuation line 102A, and the evacuation operation is turned on / off.
An exhaust device 104 is connected to the main valve 103, and the PDP panel 6 is exhausted. As the exhaust device 104, a rotary pump and an ion diffusion pump or a turbo pump are used.

A sub-valve 105 is connected to the tip of the gas introduction pipe 102B, and the gas introduction operation is turned on / off. A gas cylinder 106 is connected to the sub-valve 105, and an inert gas 107 such as Ne, Ar, or Kr is introduced.

A heating means 10 is provided outside the chip exhaust pipe 9 of the PDP panel 6, and a getter assembly (hereinafter, getter A'SSY) incorporated in the chip exhaust pipe 9 is provided.
5) is heated. As the heating means 10, a furnace,
Use an electric sealing jig, high-frequency induction heating, or the like.

The PDP panel 6 has a flat panel structure as shown in FIG. A phosphor 12 and a transparent display electrode 13 are laminated on one surface of an upper glass substrate 11, and anode electrodes 15A, 15B, 15C,. 16
A, 16B,... Are formed. The two substrates 12 and 14 are adhered and sealed in a state where the electrode forming surfaces are opposed to each other and the discharge gap (the distance between the electrodes subjected to plasma discharge) is kept constant with the cell spacer 17 interposed therebetween. .

The cell spacer 17 has partitions 17A and 17B.
Are formed, and the discharge channels forming the display pixels are separated by the partition walls 17A, 17B,.
The discharge channel generated by this division is connected to an exhaust port (not shown) of PDP panel 6. The exhaust port of the PDP panel 6 and the chip exhaust pipe 9 are welded by the frit glass 8.

Next, the getter A'SSY5 is incorporated in the chip exhaust pipe 9 of the PDP panel 6 after the electrode forming step and the like. A single getter 1 constituting the getter A'SSY5 is made of a ZrAl (zirconium aluminum) alloy, a MgAl (magnesium aluminum) alloy, or a powder thereof. The getter alone has a ring shape as shown in FIG. 3, and has a thickness t of about 1 mm, an outer diameter D1 of about 6 mm, and an inner diameter D2 of about 4 mm.

Such a getter 1 is transported or stored in a canned or nitrogen-filled container during the distribution process, but after the getter is manufactured, it is desirable to store it in a vacuum-tight manner in order to suppress a decrease in gas absorption capacity. Therefore, after purchase, the getter 1 is baked in a vacuum and transferred to a vacuum desiccator or a vacuum sealed container for storage. The getter after baking may be stored in a heat-resistant vacuum container.
By reducing the chance of exposure to the atmosphere as much as possible, a decrease in the gas absorption capacity of the getter 1 can be suppressed. Further, when the getter 1 is stored in a heat-resistant vacuum container, the getter 1 in the vacuum container can be pre-baked as it is, and the operation can be reduced.

The getter A'SSY5 is formed as follows. First, take out getter 1 from the vacuum sealed container,
The getter 1 is assembled as shown in FIG. The assembling operation is preferably performed in a vacuum, but is currently performed in a dry atmosphere or an inert gas atmosphere.

Although the number of the getters 1 depends on the size of the PDP panel 6, for example, in a panel of about 20 to 30 inches, ten getters 1 are stacked, and the ten getters 1 are connected to the metallic supports 2A to 2A. It is integrated by welding at four places by 2D. Each of the supports 2A to 2D has upper bent portions 3A to 3D and lower bent portions 4A to 4D, and has upper bent portions 3A to 3D and lower bent portions 4A to 4D.
Has a resilient spring structure so as to stay in the chip exhaust pipe 9 as shown in FIG. Thereby, in this embodiment, the height h is about 20 mm, the length l of one side is about 10 to 14 mm, and the upper bent parts 3A to 3
D, the getter A'SSY5 in which the lower bent portions 4A to 4D spread outward is completed.

The completed getter A'SSY5 is assembled in the chip exhaust pipe 9 near the exhaust port of the PDP panel 6.
The diameter d of the chip exhaust pipe 9 is about 10 to 14 mm for a panel of about 20 to 30 inches depending on the size of the PDP panel 6 as shown in FIG. The supports 2A to 2D hold the PDP panel 6 while holding the getter A'SSY5.
It is located at a position of about 20 mm from the exhaust port and remains in the chip exhaust pipe 9.

Thereafter, the tip exhaust pipe 9 is connected to the joint 101, the main valve 103 is turned on (open), the sub-valve 105 is turned off (closed), and the getter A'SSY5
The PDP panel 6 is evacuated while baking. At this time, the PDP panel 6 is exhausted by the exhaust device 104 while the getter A'SSY5 is heated by the heating means 10 from outside the chip exhaust pipe 9. Heating temperature is 300-60
The heating time is about 5 to 7 minutes at about 0 ° C. This heat treatment may be performed repeatedly.

FIG. 5 is a characteristic diagram when the getter A'SSY5 using the ZrAl alloy is baked in vacuum. The vertical axis represents the degree of vacuum (Torr) of the exhaust device, and the horizontal axis represents the heating time (minutes). According to this characteristic diagram, when 1.5 minutes have elapsed since the start of baking of the getter A'SSY5, gas began to be emitted from the getter A'SSY5, and the degree of vacuum reached the maximum value in 2.5 minutes, and was 6 minutes. By the time the gas is almost exhausted. The shaded portion in FIG. 5 is a measure of the amount of released gas.

After the evacuation of the PDP panel 6 and the baking of the getter A'SSY5 are completed, an inert gas 107 is introduced into the PDP panel 6 next. At this time, as shown in FIG. 1, the main valve 103 is turned off (closed), and the sub-valve 105 is turned on (open). At this time, the getter A'SSY5 may be heated by the heating means 10.

Thereafter, gas sealing is cut off in the middle of the chip exhaust pipe 9 including the getter A'SSY5 of the PDP panel 6 after the introduction of the inert gas. The gas sealing cut is performed by heating and melting the chip exhaust pipe 9 to about 700 to 800 ° C. The shape 7 after the sealing is cut is shown by a broken line in FIG.

Thereafter, the getter A'SSY5 in the chip exhaust pipe 9 of the gas-sealed PDP panel 6 is activated. The heating temperature is about 700 to 900 ° C., and the heating time is about 10 minutes. With this activation, the PDP panel 6
Then, the impurity gas is absorbed by the getter A'SSY5, and the gettering process is completed.

As described above, according to the method of manufacturing the image display device of the present embodiment, the chip exhaust pipe 9 of the PDP panel 6
The getter A'SSY5 incorporated therein was burned in an empty state at the time of evacuation before the inert gas introduction sealing of the PDP panel 6, and the getter A'SSY5 was released.
By activating SY5 while heating after introducing and sealing an inert gas, the SY5 does not absorb the gas released by itself compared to the conventional gettering process, and has a larger amount of moisture, nitrogen gas, carbon dioxide gas, etc. Can be absorbed from the PDP panel 6.

Therefore, since these impurity gases can be reduced from the inside of the PDP panel 6 as compared with the prior art, the abnormal discharge caused by the impurity gases as in the prior art is reduced, and further, the electrode deterioration due to sputtering is reduced and the electrode life is shortened. Because of the extension, the life of the PDP panel 6 can be extended.

Thus, a plasma display device having high reliability and high display quality can be manufactured. This plasma display device is incorporated in a PDP panel 6 in which an inert gas 107 is sealed, a chip exhaust pipe 9 (a getter accommodating portion) formed in association with the PDP panel 6, and the chip exhaust pipe 9. Getter A'SS
The getter A′SSY5 is heated and evacuated when the PDP panel 6 is evacuated before the inert gas is introduced and sealed, and is heated after the inert gas is introduced and sealed. Activated.

The operation principle of the plasma display device will be described below. When a predetermined voltage (address voltage) is applied between the anode electrode 15A and the cathode electrode 16A corresponding to the predetermined discharge channel shown in FIG. 2, the gas in the discharge channel portion is selectively ionized and small-scale. Cause a severe plasma discharge. Inside, wall charges necessary for sustaining discharge by the anode potential are held. When a data voltage is applied to the display electrode 13 in this state, a large-scale plasma discharge is generated between the display electrode 13 and the cathode electrode 16A due to wall charges corresponding to the discharge channel, and light due to the plasma discharge is generated. Light is emitted through the phosphor 12.
Thereby, display can be performed in pixel units. By sequentially scanning the discharge channels, a two-dimensional image can be displayed.

In this embodiment, a PD is used as an image display device.
Although the case of the P panel 6 has been described, a similar effect can be obtained in the case of a plasma addressed liquid crystal display panel (PALC panel).

As shown in FIG. 6, the PALC panel 100 has a flat panel structure in which a liquid crystal display cell 20, a plasma cell 30, and a dielectric sheet 23 interposed therebetween are laminated. The dielectric sheet 23 is made of thin glass or the like. The liquid crystal display cell 20 is configured using a transparent substrate 21. Data electrodes 22 are provided on one surface of the transparent substrate 21 at predetermined intervals. Although not shown, the transparent substrate 21 is bonded to the dielectric sheet 23 at a predetermined interval by a spacer. Liquid crystal is filled between the transparent substrate 21 and the dielectric sheet 23 to form a liquid crystal layer 24.

On the other hand, the plasma cell 30 is
It is configured using A plurality of grooves 32 are formed inside the glass substrate 31 in parallel. Each groove 32 is sealed with a dielectric sheet 23, and the individually separated grooves 32 constitute a discharge channel (plasma chamber). An inert gas such as Ne, Ar, or Kr is introduced into the discharge channel. An anode electrode 33 and a cathode electrode 34 which are parallel to each other and constitute a plasma electrode are provided along the groove 32 at the bottom of the groove 32.

The groove 32 is connected to an exhaust port (not shown) of the PALC panel 100. This PALC panel 1
The exhaust port No. 00 and the chip exhaust pipe 9 as shown in FIG. 1 are welded by frit glass.

The operation principle of the PALC panel will be described below. When a predetermined voltage (address voltage) is applied between the anode electrode 33 and the cathode electrode 34 corresponding to a predetermined discharge channel, the gas in the discharge channel portion is selectively ionized to generate plasma discharge. The inside is maintained at the anode potential. When a data voltage is applied to the data electrode 22 in this state, the data voltage is written via the dielectric sheet 23 to the liquid crystal layers 24 of a plurality of pixels arranged in the column direction corresponding to the discharge channel.

When the plasma discharge ends, the discharge channel becomes a floating potential, and the data voltage written in the liquid crystal layer 24 of each pixel is held until the next writing period (one frame later). In this case, the discharge channel functions as a sampling switch, and the liquid crystal layer 24 of each pixel functions as a capacitor. Therefore, since the liquid crystal operates by the data voltage written in the liquid crystal layer 24 of each pixel, display can be performed in pixel units by transmitting light from a backlight provided at the lower part of the panel. By sequentially scanning the discharge channels, a two-dimensional image can be displayed.

In this embodiment, the case where the getter A'SSY5 is incorporated into the chip exhaust pipe 9 has been described. However, in the electrode forming step of the PDP panel 6 and the PALC panel 100, a getter pool (a getter storage portion) is formed. The getter A'SSY5 may be incorporated therein in advance, and after the evacuation and gas sealing and cutting steps are completed, the getter A'SSY5 may be activated by external heating. This also provides the same effect.

[0044]

As described above, according to the method of manufacturing an image display device according to the present invention, the getter incorporated in the image display panel is evacuated before the inert gas introduction and sealing of the image display panel. Occasionally since the gas was released by baking, the getter was activated while heating after the inert gas introduction and sealing, so that the self-released gas was not absorbed compared to the conventional gettering process. In addition, a larger amount of impurity gas such as moisture, nitrogen gas and carbon dioxide gas can be absorbed from the image display panel than before.

Therefore, since these impurity gases can be reduced from the inside of the image display panel in comparison with the conventional art, the abnormal discharge caused by the above-mentioned impurity gases as in the prior art is eliminated, the electrode is not deteriorated by sputtering, and the electrode life is extended. Therefore, the life of the image display device can be extended.

Such a method of manufacturing an image display device is extremely effective when applied to the manufacture of a plasma addressed liquid crystal display device, a plasma display device, or the like.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a manufacturing apparatus used in a method of manufacturing an image display device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a PDP panel 6.

3 is an external view of a getter used for gettering a PDP panel 6. FIG.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view when assembling a getter A'SSY5.

FIG. 5 is a characteristic diagram of vacuum getter A′SSY5 during vacuum hollow baking.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a PALC panel 100.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... getter, 2A-2D ... metallic support,
3A-3D: Upper bent part, 4A-4D: Lower bent part, 5: Getter A'SSY, 6: PD
P panel (image display panel), 7: shape after gas sealing cut, 8: frit glass, 9: chip exhaust pipe, 10: heating means, 11: upper glass substrate,
12 phosphor, 13 display electrode, 14 lower glass substrate, 15A to 15C, 33 anode electrode, 16A, 16B, 34 cathode electrode, 17
..Cell spacers, 18, 107... Inert gas, 2
0: liquid crystal display cell, 30: plasma cell, 21
... Transparent substrate, 22 ... Data electrode, 23 ... Dielectric sheet, 24 ... Liquid crystal layer, 31 ... Glass substrate, 32 ... Groove (discharge channel), 100 ... P
ALC panel (image display panel), 101: joint, 102: branch pipe, 102A: vacuum pipe, 102B: gas introduction pipe, 103: main valve, 104 ... Exhaust device, 105: Sub valve, 106: Gas cylinder

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A step of incorporating a getter into an image display panel, a step of evacuating the image display panel while baking the getter, and a step of introducing an inert gas into the evacuated image display panel. A step of gas-sealing the image display panel after the introduction of the inert gas, and a step of activating the getter while heating the getter in the gas-sealed image display panel. A method for manufacturing an image display device, comprising: 2. A step of forming an exhaust pipe in the image display panel, a step of incorporating a getter in the exhaust pipe of the image display panel, a step of evacuating the image display panel while baking the getter, Introducing an inert gas into the drawn image display panel; cutting off a gas seal in the middle of an exhaust pipe including a getter of the image display panel after the introduction of the inert gas; and Activating the getter while heating the getter in the exhaust pipe of the image display panel. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising activating the getter. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the getter to be incorporated in the image display panel is stored in a vacuum container or a heat-resistant vacuum container. 4. An image display panel in which an inert gas is sealed, a getter storage unit formed in association with the image display panel, and a getter incorporated in the getter storage unit. It should be noted that the image display panel is heated and discharged at the time of evacuation before the inert gas introduction sealing of the image display panel, and is heated and activated after the inert gas introduction sealing. Characteristic image display device.