WO1998040901A1 - Procede pour former des elements d'espacement dans des affichages a ecran plat - Google Patents

Procede pour former des elements d'espacement dans des affichages a ecran plat Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1998040901A1
WO1998040901A1 PCT/US1998/004589 US9804589W WO9840901A1 WO 1998040901 A1 WO1998040901 A1 WO 1998040901A1 US 9804589 W US9804589 W US 9804589W WO 9840901 A1 WO9840901 A1 WO 9840901A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
areas
substrate
sheet
spacers
photoetchable
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1998/004589
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Jason B. Elledge
Original Assignee
Micron Technology, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US08/846,018 external-priority patent/US5840201A/en
Application filed by Micron Technology, Inc. filed Critical Micron Technology, Inc.
Priority to AU64548/98A priority Critical patent/AU6454898A/en
Publication of WO1998040901A1 publication Critical patent/WO1998040901A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J9/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture, installation, removal, maintenance of electric discharge tubes, discharge lamps, or parts thereof; Recovery of material from discharge tubes or lamps
    • H01J9/24—Manufacture or joining of vessels, leading-in conductors or bases
    • H01J9/241—Manufacture or joining of vessels, leading-in conductors or bases the vessel being for a flat panel display
    • H01J9/242—Spacers between faceplate and backplate
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J9/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture, installation, removal, maintenance of electric discharge tubes, discharge lamps, or parts thereof; Recovery of material from discharge tubes or lamps
    • H01J9/02—Manufacture of electrodes or electrode systems
    • H01J9/18—Assembling together the component parts of electrode systems
    • H01J9/185—Assembling together the component parts of electrode systems of flat panel display devices, e.g. by using spacers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J2329/00—Electron emission display panels, e.g. field emission display panels
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J2329/00—Electron emission display panels, e.g. field emission display panels
    • H01J2329/86—Vessels
    • H01J2329/8625—Spacing members
    • H01J2329/864—Spacing members characterised by the material
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J2329/00—Electron emission display panels, e.g. field emission display panels
    • H01J2329/86—Vessels
    • H01J2329/8625—Spacing members
    • H01J2329/865—Connection of the spacing members to the substrates or electrodes
    • H01J2329/866—Adhesives

Definitions

  • the present invention pertains to a method for forming spacers for flat panel displays and, in particular, to a photo-etchable method for making small sectional area spacers attached to a substrate.
  • Flat or thin field emission (cold cathode) displays have an evacuated cavity (typically at less than 10 "6 Torr) between the cathode electron emitting surface (also referred to as a base electrode, baseplate, emitter surface, or cathode surface) and its corresponding anode display screen (also referred to as an anode, cathodoluminescent screen, display face, faceplate, or display electrode).
  • a cathode electron emitting surface also referred to as a base electrode, baseplate, emitter surface, or cathode surface
  • anode display screen also referred to as an anode, cathodoluminescent screen, display face, faceplate, or display electrode.
  • a relatively high voltage differential (e.g., generally above 300 volts) is maintained between the cathode emitting surface and the display screen of a field emission display. It is important to prevent catastrophic electrical breakdown between the electron emitting surface and the anode screen by maintaining this substantially uniform spacing and to do this without introducing any structure which might contribute to arcing or out gassing. At the same time, this narrow spacing between the cathode and anode is necessary to maintain the desired structural thinness, which is characteristic of field emission displays. The spacing also has to be substantially uniform for constant high image resolution and brightness, as well as to avoid display distortion, etc.
  • Small area flat displays (e.g., those which have an approximately 1" diagonal) generally do not require spacers, since glass having a thickness of approximately 0.040" will not bow significantly and thus does not cause concern.
  • spacer supports become more important.
  • a flat display having a 30" diagonal measurement will have substantial force exerted on it by atmospheric pressure, while this force is no greater than that applied to, for example, cathode ray tubes, the geometry of the FED is such that, in order to meet the thickness requirements, the cathode and anode must be made from thin plates which are subject to bowing. Since an FED is far less tolerant to bending or bowing than a CRT, spacers play an important role in maintaining both the structural integrity and substantially uniform parallel spacing between the plates across large area, light weight, flat panel displays.
  • Spacers are incorporated between the faceplate and the plate upon which the emitter tips are fabricated.
  • the spacers maintain the desired separation between the thin, lightweight substrates allowing the display area to be increased with little or no increase in either substrate thickness or overall thickness of the display.
  • Spacers must conform to certain parameters.
  • the spacers must: 1) be sufficiently non-conductive to prevent catastrophic electrical breakdown between the cathode array and the anode, in spite of the relatively close inter-electrode spacing (which may be on the order of 200 ⁇ m), and relatively high inter-electrode voltage differential (which may be on the order of 300 volts or more); 2) exhibit mechanical strength such that they prevent the faceplate and backplate of the flat panel display from coming together; 3) exhibit stability under electron bombardment, since electrons will be generated at each of the pixels; 4) be capable of withstanding "bakeout" temperatures of around 400°C that are encountered in creating the high vacuum between the faceplate and backplate of the display; and
  • Lithographically defined photoactive organic compounds result in the formation of spacers which are not compatible with the high vacuum conditions or elevated temperature characteristics in the manufacture of field emission displays.
  • One prior art method for making spacer members of about 15 mils in height for large area field emission displays starts with a substrate coated with a conductive film. A pattern of photoresist is put onto the conductive film and frit is electrophoritically deposited into the holes in the photoresist. This creates a pattern of frit dots on the conductive layer. Next a thin sheet (spacer sheet) is placed on top of the frit dots.
  • This thin spacer sheet is made of a plurality of parallel core glass rods, of small diameter, in a matrix of cladding glass that both binds the core glass into the spacer sheet and is etchable.
  • the entire assembly of conductive film, frit dots and spacer sheet is baked in the furnace to make the frit dots melt and adhere the core glass in the spacer sheet to the substrate.
  • the photoresist burns off at about 300°C.
  • the cladding matrix of the spacer sheet is etched away by appropriate means, such as an acid, leaving standing rods of core glass substantially perpendicular to the substrate and adhered thereto by the frit dots.
  • Spacers are discussed in U. S. Patent Nos. 4,923,421; 5,205,770; and 5,232,549, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
  • the present invention utilizes a photoetchable glass to form spacer elements for large area field emission displays.
  • Frit dots are placed onto a substrate and a sheet of photo etchable glass is exposed to UN light using a mask such that the UN light exposes the etchable areas of the glass and does not expose these areas which will form the spacers.
  • the etchable glass is then heat treated to crystallize the UN exposed areas and to tailor the coefficient of thermal expansion of the glass.
  • the exposed and treated glass is adhered to the frit coated substrate and the UN exposed areas etched away leaving spacers adhered to frit dots.
  • Fig. 1 is a schematic section through a representative field emission display
  • Fig. 2 is a block level flow diagram of the steps of the present invention
  • Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the exposure step
  • Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the glass on a substrate prior to etching.
  • Figure 1 shows a representative section through a field emission display 10 having an electron emitting cathode 12 and an anode 14.
  • the cathode is formed from a substrate 16 with a plurality of emitter sites 18 formed thereon in spaced patterned array.
  • the emitter sites 18 are surrounded by a dielectric layer 20 and a grid 22 overlies the dielectric layer 20 and exposes the emitter sites 18.
  • the anode 24 is provided with a phosphor coating 26 and the plates are spaced by a plurality of spacer members 28.
  • the cathode, anode and grid are connected to source 30.
  • the present invention replaces the above described system utilizing a bundle array of a plurality of clad glass rods with a photoetchable glass.
  • a patterned array of frit dots (not shown) is placed onto a substrate 32.
  • the subject method then exposes a thin sheet of photoetchable glass 34 to ultraviolet (UN) light, using a mask 36 such that the UV light exposes only the etchable areas 38 and does not expose the areas 40 which will form the spacers
  • the exposed glass sheet is then heat treated to crystallize the UN exposed areas 38 and to tailor the coefficient of thermal expansion.
  • the exposed and treated glass sheet 34 is adhered to the frit coated substrate 38 in conventional fashion with the areas 40 overlying the frit dots.
  • the UV exposed areas 38 of the glass sheet 34 are etched, with conventional etchants, leaving spacers 42 adhered to respective frit dots and extending substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate 32.
  • the ideal would be to produce fairly uniform and symmetrical spacers 42, which are shown as being substantially cylindrical in shape for convenience only. However, due to the etching process, it is more likely that the spacers would have more of a truncated conical configuration. This should not prove to be any disadvantage since the ratio of the length to diameter of the spacers is such that the expected taper would not be great enough to prove to be disadvantageous.
  • the present invention enables making fairly uniform symmetrical spacers having a length of from 5 mils to 25 mils and a cross sectional area of from 0.5 mils to 2 mils.
  • the photoetchable glass is preferably a photosensitive amorphous glass of the type formed by adding a metallic ion and sensitizer to a silicate glass.
  • a photosensitive amorphous glass of the type formed by adding a metallic ion and sensitizer to a silicate glass.
  • Such glass when exposed to ultraviolet light and heat treated, produces a metal colloid with crystalline nuclei.
  • the crystal structure is extremely fine making the glass easily dissolvable in acid. This also allows for the etching of finely defined structures. Examples of such glass are "FOTURAN” made by the Optical Division of Schott Glastechnike of Mainz, Germany and PEG3 made by the Optical Division of Hoya Corporation of Tokyo, Japan.
  • the preferred etchant for the present invention is hydrofluoric acid (HF).
  • the above noted glass is preferably heat treated at a temperature in the range of from 500°C to 600°C for from 45 to 80 minutes.
  • the adhering of the frit accomplished at temperatures in the range of from 480°C to 525°C for time periods from 36 hours at the lower temperatures to 2 hours at the higher temperatures.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Vessels, Lead-In Wires, Accessory Apparatuses For Cathode-Ray Tubes (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un verre pouvant être photogravé pour former des éléments d'espacement pour des affichages à émission par effet de champ à grande surface. Des points de verre de scellement sont placés sur un substrat. Une feuille de verre pouvant être photogravée est exposée à la lumière des ultraviolets, à l'aide d'un masque, de telle sorte que la lumière des ultraviolets expose les zones pouvant être photogravées et n'expose pas les zones qui vont former les éléments d'espacement. Le verre pouvant être photogravé est ensuite traité à chaud pour cristalliser les zones exposées aux ultraviolets et adapter le coefficient de dilatation thermique. Ensuite, le verre adhère au substrat recouvert de verre de scellement
PCT/US1998/004589 1997-03-10 1998-03-09 Procede pour former des elements d'espacement dans des affichages a ecran plat WO1998040901A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU64548/98A AU6454898A (en) 1997-03-10 1998-03-09 Method for forming spacers in flat panel displays using photo-etching

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US81398797A 1997-03-10 1997-03-10
US08/813,987 1997-03-10
US08/846,018 US5840201A (en) 1996-01-19 1997-04-25 Method for forming spacers in flat panel displays using photo-etching
US08/846,018 1997-04-25

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1998040901A1 true WO1998040901A1 (fr) 1998-09-17

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US1998/004589 WO1998040901A1 (fr) 1997-03-10 1998-03-09 Procede pour former des elements d'espacement dans des affichages a ecran plat

Country Status (2)

Country Link
AU (1) AU6454898A (fr)
WO (1) WO1998040901A1 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2000052726A1 (fr) * 1999-03-04 2000-09-08 Electrovac, Fabrikation Elektrotechnischer Spezialartikel Gesellschaft M.B.H. Structure de cathodes pour ecran a emission de champ
EP1267382A1 (fr) * 2001-06-12 2002-12-18 Samsung SDI Co., Ltd. Procédé de former un espaceur dans un écran plat

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1990000808A1 (fr) * 1988-07-06 1990-01-25 Innovative Display Development Partners Ecran plat a cathode a emission de champ comportant des elements d'ecartement en polyimide
EP0496450A1 (fr) * 1991-01-25 1992-07-29 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Dispositif de reproduction
US5232549A (en) * 1992-04-14 1993-08-03 Micron Technology, Inc. Spacers for field emission display fabricated via self-aligned high energy ablation
WO1994015244A1 (fr) * 1992-12-29 1994-07-07 Pixel International S.A. Espaceurs pour ecrans plats de visualisation et procedes de mise en ×uvre de ces espaceurs
US5484314A (en) * 1994-10-13 1996-01-16 Micron Semiconductor, Inc. Micro-pillar fabrication utilizing a stereolithographic printing process
WO1996003764A1 (fr) * 1994-07-25 1996-02-08 Fed Corporation Elements d'espacement pour dispositif d'affichage plat, et procede de fabrication
US5503582A (en) * 1994-11-18 1996-04-02 Micron Display Technology, Inc. Method for forming spacers for display devices employing reduced pressures
FR2727242A1 (fr) * 1994-11-22 1996-05-24 Futaba Denshi Kogyo Kk Enceinte a vide pour dispositif d'affichage et procede pour la fabriquer

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1990000808A1 (fr) * 1988-07-06 1990-01-25 Innovative Display Development Partners Ecran plat a cathode a emission de champ comportant des elements d'ecartement en polyimide
EP0496450A1 (fr) * 1991-01-25 1992-07-29 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Dispositif de reproduction
US5232549A (en) * 1992-04-14 1993-08-03 Micron Technology, Inc. Spacers for field emission display fabricated via self-aligned high energy ablation
WO1994015244A1 (fr) * 1992-12-29 1994-07-07 Pixel International S.A. Espaceurs pour ecrans plats de visualisation et procedes de mise en ×uvre de ces espaceurs
WO1996003764A1 (fr) * 1994-07-25 1996-02-08 Fed Corporation Elements d'espacement pour dispositif d'affichage plat, et procede de fabrication
US5484314A (en) * 1994-10-13 1996-01-16 Micron Semiconductor, Inc. Micro-pillar fabrication utilizing a stereolithographic printing process
US5503582A (en) * 1994-11-18 1996-04-02 Micron Display Technology, Inc. Method for forming spacers for display devices employing reduced pressures
FR2727242A1 (fr) * 1994-11-22 1996-05-24 Futaba Denshi Kogyo Kk Enceinte a vide pour dispositif d'affichage et procede pour la fabriquer

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2000052726A1 (fr) * 1999-03-04 2000-09-08 Electrovac, Fabrikation Elektrotechnischer Spezialartikel Gesellschaft M.B.H. Structure de cathodes pour ecran a emission de champ
EP1267382A1 (fr) * 2001-06-12 2002-12-18 Samsung SDI Co., Ltd. Procédé de former un espaceur dans un écran plat
US6749477B2 (en) 2001-06-12 2004-06-15 Samsung Sdi Co., Ltd. Method of forming spacer in flat panel display

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU6454898A (en) 1998-09-29

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