TWI232699B - Field emission display device with protection structure - Google Patents

Abstract

A novel protection structure for protecting field emission elements in a field emission display device from burnout damage due to electrical current surges induced to the device cathode by ionized gases in the device. The protection structure includes one or multiple reduction plates or electrodes which are typically provided on the cathode. The reduction plate or plates are negatively-charged and attract positively charged gas ions. Consequently, induction of electrical current surges to the cathode is avoided, thereby preventing burnout damage to the field emission elements.

Description

1232699 V. Description of the invention (1) [Technical field to which the invention belongs] The present invention relates to a field emission display panel or device, especially a field emission display, which includes at least a reduction plate or an electrode, which can excite ions The gas is shifted away from the field emission component of the device of the present invention to avoid damage to the field emission component. [Previous Technology] In recent years, flat panel displays have been developed and applied to electronic devices such as personal computers. One of the most popular flat panel displays is the active matrix (ac t i v e matr x X) liquid crystal display, which provides better resolution. However, liquid crystal displays have many potential limitations that make them unsuitable for many applications. For example, liquid crystal displays have many process limitations, including a slow deposition process for coating amorphous silicon on glass plates, high manufacturing complexity, and low yield. In addition, liquid crystal displays require a fluorescent backlight that consumes a high amount of power, and most of the generated light is wasted. Generally, the liquid crystal display is not easy to see under bright light or at a large viewing angle, which further limits the applicability of the liquid crystal display in many places. Other flat panel displays have been rapidly developed in recent years to replace liquid crystal display panels. One of them is a field emission display, which overcomes the limitations of some liquid crystal displays and provides a significant advantage that traditional liquid crystal displays do not have. For example, 'compared with common thin film transistor liquid crystal display panels, field emission displays have higher contrast values (c ο ntrastrati 〇), larger viewing angles, higher maximum brightness, low power consumption, and a Wide temperature operating range. The most extreme difference between a field emission display and an LCD display is that

1232699 V. Description of the invention (3) In the early development of field emission cathodes, metal microtip electron emitters made of molybdenum were often used. In such devices, a silicon wafer is first oxidized to form a thick silicon oxide layer, and then a gate electrode layer is then deposited on the silicon oxide layer. This metal gate layer is then patterned to form a gate opening. Next, the silicon oxide under the opening is etched to form a well (we 1 1). A layer of sacrificial material, such as nickel, is then deposited to prevent nickel from precipitating into the walls of the electron emitter. Copper is then deposited in the cavity (cavy) at a vertical angle to form a cone with a tip to the opening. When sacrificial nickel is removed, a conical metal radiator is formed. In another type of design, the manufacturing of silicon micro-tip electronic emitters is first performed by thermal oxidation of silicon, and then patterning the oxide layer and selective #etching to form a lithography tip (si 1 ic οn tip ). Further oxidation or etching protects the silicon and sharpens the tip to provide a sacrificial layer. In another alternative design, the microtip is fabricated on a predetermined material, such as a glass substrate. A glass substrate is a perfect substrate and can be used as a substrate for a large flat area flat panel display. Microtips can borrow conductive materials, such as metals or semiconductor materials doped with conductive impurities. In this alternative design of a field emission display, it is necessary to deposit an intermediate layer between the cathode and the microtip using a controlled conductivity deposition method. An appropriate intermediate layer impedance value allows the display to operate in a stable condition. During the manufacture of such field emission displays, it is of course also desirable to deposit an amorphous silicon film layer whose electrical conductivity is in the range between the intrinsic amorphous silicon and the n-type doped amorphous silicon layer. The electrical conductivity of the N-type doped amorphous silicon layer can be controlled by regulating the amount of scale atoms in the film.

Page 10 1232699 V. Description of the invention (4) Contains: In general, in the manufacturing process of the field emission display, the device includes a cavity with a very low pressure, so the excitation of the electrons will not be blocked. A pressure as low as 10 s7 tor r generally requires two ^:! Stop field emission device "" when the large flat plates collide with each other, in winter, there must be a gap between them to support and provide There is a gap between the two plates. For example, f glass spheres or glass crosses in common field emission displays have been used to maintain such spacing in field emission displays. Some slender interlayers have also been used: for this purpose. 1A, FIG. A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a conventional field emission display 10. Stan π i θ is 10 per emission display by depositing a resistive layer 12 such as a typical non-silicon, f film on a glass substrate 14. Next, a dielectric material is formed: a layer 16 and a metal gate layer 18 are sequentially deposited to provide a plurality of one: an electric capacitor " big end 20, and a cathode structure 2 2 by a resistive layer 12 Cover, located at :::? The u? Resistivity of the insulating layer 16 which has a resistive property and a -point conductive property is very heavy. It does not need to be-too large. The resistance in the short circuit to prevent when the micro-tip metal layer 18 contains? Referring to FIG. 1B ′, a complete field emission display structure 30 is shown, and an anode 28 protrudes from the top of the structure 30. To simplify the diagram, the cathode layer 22 and the electric group layer i 2 are only two ^ = 2 Torr: a plurality of microtips 2 are electrically charged. Take the top of the tip from the microtip 20; more than 26 electrons. When the anode 28 is supplied with a higher positive voltage, the gate 18

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The 40 ° emission display 40 includes a cathode a, and an anode 46 is separated from the cathode 42 by a distance. The plurality of field emission elements 44 are in electrical contact with the cathode 42, and: j excites multiple electrons 52 to 46, for example 46. A voltage supply source 48 is used to provide: a potential difference 'to establish an electric field 50 between the cathode 42 and the anode 46.

During the operation of the field emission display 40, oxygen and nitrogen are gases typically present in a low-pressure environment between the cathode 42 and the anode 46. When the field emission display 4g0 is supplied with electric power and the voltage supply source 48 provides a potential difference, an electric field 50 will be formed between the cathode 42 and the anode ^. The high-energy electron 45 is excited to the pole 46 by the field emission element 4 4 $. These high-energy electrons 45 collide with nitrogen and oxygen and form τ positively charged nitrogen ions and oxygen ions, as shown in FIG. 2β. These positively charged nitrogen ions and oxygen ions are discharged to the cathode 42 and cause a current surge (surge) to the cathode 42 and the field emission element 44. These amplified current valleys can easily burn out the field emission elements 4 4. Therefore, a protection device is necessary. This protection device is used to offset the discharge path of the above-mentioned charged gas to keep away from the cathode 'to avoid the burst of the field emission element in the device caused by the surge of the current. An object of the present invention is to provide a novel protection structure to avoid burning of field emission elements in a field emission display.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel field emission display with a protective structure. The protective structure has at least a reduction plate or an electrode for changing the discharge path of a charged gas. This is to prevent the electric current caused by these charged gases from burning up the field emission elements in the device. Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel field emission display having a protective structure, the protective structure including a plurality of reduction plates or page 14 1232699

V. Description of the invention (8) The current caused by the discharge path of a plurality of electrode dispersions. The present invention includes a centered field emission element placed between the field emission elements of the cathode to change the discharge path. Avoid these books = radon burns out the field emission elements of device f. ~ ▼ The further purpose of electric gas G is to provide a novel field guarantee compliance structure, which protects the structure greatly, ", and the life of the parts. The extended type 1232699 V. Description of the invention (9) In the invention A field plate or electrode interspersed in the device is lengthened and spaced. In another specific solid structure or similar net [Embodiment] The present invention is related to include a shiftable structure to prevent burned parts from being burned. Therefore, please refer to Fig. 3, the structure diagram surrounding 54. The field is connected to a plurality of fields and a type of discharge can be used to excite 60 and cathode 56 and the field emission can be any conductivity 56 and anode 60 to 2. The field emission of the present invention includes a reduction plate or electricity: Fortunately, it is not easy to form a metal-electrically insulating material; the source 704 is electrically connected to a further embodiment. In the specific embodiment, a plurality of reduction plates or electrodes are emitted. Between the components. In one embodiment, in the embodiment of a plurality of parallel emitting elements in the device, the reduction plates or electrodes are arranged in a mesh structure between the field emitting components in the device. One Field emission display, the structure of the field emission display gas ion discharge path away from the cathode structure. The field emission element caused by the current surge induced to the cathode greatly extends the life of the device. J 3 shows an implementation of the invention For example, the field emission device 5 4 includes a cathode 56 for electrically emitting elements 58. Each field emitting element 58 can be the tip of any high-energy electron, such as a carbon nanotube. An anode emitting element 5 8 Separate a distance. The cathode 56 and the anode 60 metal. A voltage operating source 62 is electrically connected to the cathode to establish an electric field 64. The radiation device 54 also includes a protective structure 68. At least 70 is typically located at the cathode. 5 6 on. The reduction plate 70 is the most conductive metal. An insulating layer 72 is the separation plate 70 and the cathode 56. A biased electric riser 70 is used to provide a negative voltage. Further 1232699 V. Description of the invention α〇) During the operation of the field emission display 54, the operating voltage source 62 provides a potential difference between the cathode 56 and the anode 60 to establish an electric field 64. Similarly, the bias source 74 Provide reduction plate 70—I Piezoelectric potential. High-energy electrons 66 are excited from the field-emitting element 58 and hit a fluorescent powder target (not shown) on the anode 60 to excite light. These high-energy electrons 66 pass through the field-emitting element to the anode. During the process of 66, the nitrogen molecules and oxygen molecules in the device 54 hit the electrons, thereby forming N + and 〇 dion.

As the bias source 74 provides the negative electricity of the reduction plate 70, the above-mentioned N + and 〇 ions will be shifted from the cathode 56 to the reduction plate 70 in the discharge path 76. Therefore, it is avoided that the N + and 0 ions come into contact with the cathode 56, and thus the ion-induced surge of the current to the cathode is prevented, which may be easily burned field emission =, 58. On the reduction plate 70, N + and 〇 ions are reduced back to molecular nitrogen and oxygen form, as described in the following formula: N 2+ + e-N 2 〇2 + + e ~ 〇2 Fig. 4 is another specific embodiment of the present invention. ^ = Display 80 architecture diagram, the device 80 includes at least a cathode plate 85 electrical = plate 81 distance-distance ... operating voltage source, the above-mentioned cathode plate 81 And anode plate 84. Plural long

2. ΐ = Cathod strip cathode 82 is located on the cathode plate 81. The emission elements 8 are formed at intervals on each of the strip-shaped cathodes described above. It may be any suitable radiation element 83. High-energy, high-resolution, e.g., carbon nano tubes. The radio-emitting display 80 has a protective structure 87, which includes at least

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5. Description of the invention (11) A plurality of long reduction plates or electrodes 89 are formed on the cathode plate 81. The reduction plates 89 are parallel and adjacent to each of the stripe cathodes (82) provided with the plurality of field emission elements 83 described above. A bias source (pias voltage source) 90 is electrically connected to the reduction plate 89 on each of the protection structures 87 to provide a negative bias potential to the reduction plate 89. Therefore, as with the protective structure 68 described in FIG. 3 above, the reduction plate 88 is given a negative potential by the negative bias potential provided by the bias source 90, which can attract positively charged nitrogen ions and Oxygen ions, thereby avoiding damage to the field emission element 83 due to current induction. The field emission element 83 and the reduction plate 89 can be fabricated on the cathode plate 81, and a metal cathode plate 8 is deposited on a substrate (not shown) by using a common deposition technique at the beginning. Next, photolithography techniques are used to define the strip cathode 82 and the reduction plate 89, and the cathode is shaped according to the pattern defined by the first photomask, the cathode 82 and the reduction plate 89. A wet method can be used to accurately control the bar size. Next, a second photomask (not shown to define the geometric position of the field emission element 83 is connected to make the field emission element 83. Please refer to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a structural diagram of the indicator 92 of the present invention. The device 92 includes at least a long and parallel stripe cathode 9 4 formation 93 and a cathode plate 93 at a distance from each other, and a cathode plate 93 and an anode 96. A plurality of fields are used to make a first photomask to Geometric position on the fixed plate 81. Next, the cathode plate 8 1 is formed on the cathode plate 8 1 under the strip forming method (the orientation of the wet etching cathode 8 2 is large) to form a cathode plate 9 by field emission of another embodiment by chemical vapor deposition. 3. A plurality of anodes are applied to the cathode plate 9 3, and an anode is used as a voltage source 9 7 is electrically connected to the element 9 6 formed in each strip 1232699 5. Description of the invention (12) The cathode 9 4 is used to face the anode 9 6 Excited high-energy electrons, a net-like structure or a protective structure similar to the net-like structure 9 9 is formed on the cathode plate 93 in the device. The guarantee structure 9 9 includes at least a plurality of parallel and long reduction plates 101 on the cathode plate. 93 on. A cathode plate 93 is first deposited on a substrate (not shown). A first photomask (not shown) is then patterned on the cathode plate 93 to etch a strip-shaped cathode 94. After removing Yin

II Ϊ 后 After the first photomask on I3, an insulating layer 100 is deposited on the cathode plate 93 and the second electrode 94. Next, a metal layer used as the reduction plate i 〇 丨 "on the insulating layer 1000, and then a negative photoresist is coated on the reduction plate i 〇 丨, and the remaining 3 lines of lithography are used to define the reduction plate 101. At the geometric position, the layer 10 is used to form a reduction plate 10 of a mesh structure, and the mesh structure ^ 稞 = a contact window on the upper surface of the strip cathode 94, as shown in the figure. The second ^ deposition-catalytic metal I, after coating with a positive photoresist, the lithography and etching process was performed in the same window (not shown) to remove the contact square, metal I 'last field emission element 95 A chemical vapor deposition method was used to form the surface of the catalytic metal layer ⑴ in the contact window. Marginal layer 10〇Λ / knife open. Therefore, the reduction plate 101 and the insulation 99 located below it are reduced. Form a net-like or net-like structural type pre-protection structure. The pressure source 10 Hif source 10 3 is electrically connected to the reduction plate 101 of the protection structure 9 9. Partial ions = total: Negative Gan potential pre-protection structure 99 to attract positively charged nitrogen to excite. "Medium ions and oxygen ions are formed by field emission elements 95 ...". Therefore, 'the field 1232699 as described in FIG. 3 above. 5. Description of the invention (13) The emission display prevents ions from contacting the stripe cathode 9 4 and causes an excessive current surge to the stripe cathode 9 4 and the field emission element 9 5. The above is a detailed description of the present invention by using preferred embodiments, rather than limiting the scope of the present invention, and those skilled in the art will understand that appropriate changes and adjustments can be made without losing the essence of the invention Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Page 20, 1232699 The diagram briefly illustrates the various features described above for the present invention and other subsidiary advantages of the present invention can be more clearly understood with the accompanying illustrations in the following more detailed description, of which ^ Figure 1A It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the cathode and field emission elements of a common field emission display. Figure 1B is a schematic diagram of a complete cross-section of a common field emission display. Figure 1C is a schematic diagram of a complete cross-section of a common field emission display. On the way, it describes the conduction of electrons on the anode on the device. Layer process; Figure 2 A is a common field emission display architecture diagram, illustrating the ionization process of oxygen and nitrogen in the device being excited from the field emission element; Figure 2 B is a common field emission display architecture diagram, illustrating The discharge path of the oxygen ions and nitrogen ions to the cathode in the device of FIG. 2A is described above; FIG. 3 is a structural diagram of a field emission display of the present invention, illustrating the positively charged oxygen ions and nitrogen ions to a negatively charged reduction plate or electrode The process of movement; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a partial architecture of a field emission display according to a specific embodiment of the present invention An elongated reduction plate or electrode located parallel to the field emission elements in the device is illustrated; and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a partial architecture of a field emission display according to another embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a plurality of reduction plates or electrodes in the device. The electrodes are arranged in a mesh structure or a similar mesh structure between the field emission elements. Description of drawing numbers 1 0, 4 0, 5 4, 5 8, 8 0, 9 2 Field emission display 1 2 Resistor layer

1232699 Brief description of the drawing 1 4, 3 6 glass substrate 1 6, 1 0 0 insulating layer 2 0 metal microtip 2 2, 4 2, 5 6, 8 9 9 cathode 26, 52 electron 2 8, 4 6, 6 0, 9 6 Anode 3 2 Disk-containing particles 3 4 Indium tin oxide conductive layer 3 8 Side wall plate 4 4 Field emission element 45, 6 6 High energy electron 4 8 Voltage supply source 50, 64 Electric field 6 8, 8 7, 9 9 Protection Structure 7 0, 8 9 reduction plate or electrode 7 4, 9 0, 10 3 bias source 8 2, 9 4 strip cathode 8 1, 9 5 field emission element 8 4 anode plate 8 5, 9 7 operating voltage source 101 reduction plate 1 0 2 catalytic metal layer

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Claims (1)

1232699 6. Scope of patent application 1. A field emission display including at least: a cathode; an anode, a distance from the above cathode; a plurality of field emission elements between the anode and the cathode for exciting electrons; And a protection structure located between the anode and the cathode to attract positively charged ions. 2 · The field emission display according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the above The protection structure includes at least a reduction plate and a bias source, and the bias source is electrically connected to the at least one reduction plate to provide a negative voltage to the at least one reduction plate. The field emission display described above, wherein the at least one reduction plate includes at least a plurality of long reduction plates and is arranged in parallel with each other. 4 · The field emission display as described in item 2 of the scope of patent application, wherein the plurality of field emission elements described above include at least a plurality of nano carbon tubes. 5. The field emission display as described in item 4 of the scope of patent application, wherein the above-to-V reduction plates include at least a plurality of reduction-type reduction plates arranged in parallel with each other. 1232699 6. Scope of patent application 6 · The field emission display according to item 3 of the scope of patent application, wherein the field emission elements are arranged in a plurality of rows and arranged in parallel with the at least one reduction plate. 1. The field emission display according to item 6 of the scope of patent application, wherein the field emission element described above comprises at least a plurality of nano carbon tubes. 8 · The field emission display as described in item 1 of Shen Qing's patent scope, wherein the above protection structure is a mesh structure. 9 · The field emission display as described in item 8 of the scope of patent application, wherein the above protection structure includes at least a reduction plate with a mesh structure. 10. The field emission display as described in item 8 of the scope of the patent application, wherein the plurality of field emission elements described above include at least a plurality of nano carbon tubes /, among which the upper 11 is as described in the tenth scope of the patent application scope. The protection structure described in the field emission display includes at least a reduction plate with a mesh structure. 1232699 # Scope of patent application A protective structure is located on the cathode plate to attract positively charged ions. 1 3 · The field emission display as described in item 12 of the scope of patent application, wherein the above-mentioned Baoda structure includes at least a plurality of elongated reduction plates parallel to the stripe cathode, and a bias source. Connected to the reduction board. 14. The field emission display according to item 13 of the scope of the patent application, wherein the protection structure is defined as a mesh structure. 15. The field emission display according to item 12 of the scope of the patent application, wherein the plurality of field emission elements described in φ above include at least a plurality of nano carbon tubes. 16. · "A method for manufacturing a field-retaining structure of a field emission display" includes at least the following steps: providing a cathode plate; and manufacturing a plurality of strip cathodes and at least one reduction plate on the cathode plate. 17. The method according to item 16 of the scope of patent application, wherein the manufacturing of a plurality of stripe cathodes and at least one plate on the cathode plate include at least the cathode plate and the plurality of stripe cathodes are etched simultaneously. And the at least one reduction plate 0 18 · The method as described in item 16 of the scope of patent application, wherein the plurality of stripe cathodes and at least one reduction plate described above are formed on the cathode plate, at least 1232699 6. The scope of patent application includes etching the plurality of strip-shaped cathodes on the cathode plate, providing an insulation layer on the plurality of strip-shaped cathodes, and manufacturing at least one reduction plate on the insulation layer. 19. The method according to item 18 of the scope of patent application, wherein the manufacturing the at least one reduction plate on the insulating layer includes at least depositing a metal layer on the insulating layer and etching the metal layer to define the at least one Restore the plate. Page 26