Method of manufacturing image display apparatus

• US 20020039870A1
• Filed: 09/24/2001
• Published: 04/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nakata, Kohei, Kaneko, Tetsuya, Miyazaki, Toshihiko
• Granted Patent: US 6,821,174 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 445/3
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 9/045 Activation of assembled cathode
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 9/261 the vessel being for a flat panel display for flat discharge lamps H01J9/268
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 9/445 Aging of tubes or lamps, e.g. by "spot knocking" cathode activation H01J9/045

Abstract

In a method of manufacturing an image display apparatus, a first member having an electron-emitting device and a second member having a phosphor which is irradiated with an electron emitted from the electron-emitting device to emit light are seal-bonded in a seal bonding chamber in which a vacuum atmosphere is realized. An aging step for the electron-emitting device is performed before the step of seal-bonding.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an image display apparatus, comprising

a step of seal-bonding a first member having an electron-emitting device and a second member having a phosphor which is irradiated with an electron emitted from the electron-emitting device to emit light in a seal bonding chamber in which a vacuum atmosphere is realized,

wherein a step for aging the electron-emitting device is performed before the step of seal-bonding.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein, after the aging step is performed, without exposing the electron-emitting device to an external environment, the step of seal-bonding is performed.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the aging step is performed under a condition that a pressure of not more than 1×

10<sup>−

4</sup> Pa is set in a region where the electron-emitting device exists

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein, after the aging step is performed, a pressure of substantially not more than 1×

10<sup>−

4</sup> Pa is maintained in the region where the electron-emitting device exists until an isolated space is formed between the first and second members in the seal bonding step.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the aging step is performed while a partial pressure of an organic substance in the region where the electron-emitting device exists is set at not more than 1×

10<sup>−

6</sup> Pa.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein, after the aging step is performed, a partial pressure of an organic substance in the region where the electron-emitting device exists is maintained at substantially not more than 1×

10<sup>−

6</sup> Pa until an isolated space is formed between the first and second members in the seal bonding step.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the aging step comprises the step of applying a voltage to the electron-emitting device.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein, in the step of applying the voltage, a value of the voltage is larger than a normal driving voltage value applied to the electron-emitting device at an image display operation.

9. A method according to claim 7, wherein the aging step comprises the step of causing the electron-emitting device to emit an electron.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the panel getter step performed between the aging step and the seal bonding step.

11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the electron beam cleaning step conducted before the aging step.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein, after the characteristic adjustment step is performed, without exposing the electron-emitting device to the atmosphere, the step of seal-bonding is performed.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein the characteristic adjustment step is performed under a condition that while a partial pressure of an organic substance in the region where the electron-emitting device exists is set at not more than 1×

10<sup>−

6</sup> Pa.

15. A method according to claim 12, wherein, the characteristic adjustment step comprises the step of applying a voltage to the electron-emitting device.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein in the step of applying the voltage, a value of the voltage is larger than a normal driving voltage value applied to the electron-emitting device at an image display operation.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein the characteristic adjustment step comprises the step of causing the electron-emitting device to emit an electron.

18. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the panel getter step performed between the characteristic adjustment step and the seal bonding step.

19. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the electron beam cleaning step performed before the characteristic adjustment step.

12. A method of manufacturing an image display apparatus, comprising

the step of seal-bonding a first member having a plurality of electron-emitting devices and a second member having a phosphor which is irradiated with an electron emitted from the electron-emitting device to emit light in a seal bonding chamber in which a vacuum atmosphere is realized,

wherein, before the step of seal-bonding, the characteristic adjustment step of selectively adjusting characteristics of the plurality of electron-emitting devices is performed.

20. A method of manufacturing an image display apparatus, comprising

a step of seal-bonding a first member having an electron-emitting device and a second member having a phosphor which is irradiated with an electron emitted from the electron-emitting device to emit light in a seal bonding chamber in which a vacuum atmosphere is realized,

wherein before the step of seal-bonding, the voltage application step of applying a voltage to the electron-emitting device subjected to the activation step is performed.

22. A method according to claim 20, wherein, after the voltage application step is performed, without exposing the electron-emitting device to the atmosphere, the step of seal-bonding is performed.

23. A method according to claim 20, wherein the voltage application step is performed under a condition that a partial pressure of an organic substance in the region where the electron-emitting device exists is set at not more than 1×

10<sup>−

6</sup> Pa.

24. A method according to claim 20, wherein, in the voltage application step, a value of the voltage is larger than a normal driving voltage value applied to the electron-emitting device at an image display operation.

25. A method according to claim 20, wherein the voltage application step comprises the step of causing the electron-emitting device to emit an electron.

26. A method according to claim 20, further comprising the panel getter step performed between the voltage application step and the seal bonding step.

27. A method according to claim 20, further comprising the electron beam cleaning step performed before the voltage application step.

29. A method according to claim 28, further comprising the panel getter step performed between the voltage application step and the seal bonding step.

30. A method according to claim 28, further comprising the electron beam cleaning step performed before the voltage application step voltage.

21. A method of manufacturing an image display apparatus, comprising

the step of seal-bonding a first member having an electron-emitting device and a second member having a phosphor which is irradiated with an electron emitted from the electron-emitting device to emit light in a seal bonding chamber in which a vacuum atmosphere is realized,

wherein, before the step of seal-bonding, the voltage application step of applying a voltage to the electron-emitting device having carbon and/or a carbon compound at electron-emitting portion and/or near an electron-emitting portion is performed.

28. A method of manufacturing an image display apparatus, comprising

the step of seal-bonding a first member having an electron-emitting device and a second member having a phosphor which is irradiated with an electron emitted from the electron-emitting device to emit light in a seal bonding chamber in which a vacuum atmosphere is realized,

wherein, before the step of seal-bonding, the voltage application step of applying, to the electron-emitting device, a voltage having a voltage value larger than a normal driving voltage value applied to the electron-emittting device at an image display operation is performed.