Display

• US 20040090398A1
• Filed: 10/31/2003
• Published: 05/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NGK Insulators Limited
• Original Assignee: NGK Insulators Limited
• Inventors: Nanataki, Tsutomu, Takeuchi, Yukihisa, Ohwada, Iwao, Kokune, Nobuyuki
• Application Number:
  US10/699,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20040090398A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/75.2
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 1/316 having an electric field parallel to the surface, e.g. thin film cathodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 1/32 Secondary-electron-emitting electrodes H01J1/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 31/127 using large area or array sources, i.e. essentially a source for each pixel group

Abstract

A display comprises a housing having a mother board, an outer frame, and a transparent plate, and a plurality of modules each having a plurality of electron emitters arrayed on a module board. The modules are disposed as a matrix on the mother board, and sealed in vacuum in the housing. One or more spacers may be interposed between the mother board and the transparent plate to keep a gap at a predetermined distance between the mother board and the transparent plate.

Claims

1. A display comprising:

a housing having a first board; and

a plurality of modules each having a plurality of electron emitters arrayed on a second board;

said modules being arrayed on said first board;

at least said modules being electrically connected to each other;

said modules being sealed in vacuum in said housing.

2. A display according to claim 1, wherein said housing has a transparent plate facing said first board, said transparent plate supporting, on a surface thereof facing said first board, an electrode for producing an electric field between the electrode and said electron emitters, and a phosphor disposed on said electrode, and wherein electrons emitted from said electron emitters impinge on said phosphor to excite the phosphor for thereby emitting light therefrom.

3. A display according to claim 1, wherein each of said electron emitters comprises:

an emitter section made of a dielectric material; and

a first electrode and a second electrode which are disposed in contact with said emitter section;

and wherein when a drive voltage is applied between said first electrode and said second electrode, at least a portion of said emitter section has a polarization reversed or changed to emit electrons therefrom.

4. A display according to claim 3, wherein said first electrode and said second electrode are disposed in contact with a principal surface of said emitter section, with a slit defined between said first electrode and said second electrode, said emitter section being partly exposed through said slit.

5. A display according to claim 3, wherein said first electrode is disposed on a first surface of said emitter section, and said second electrode is disposed on a second surface of said emitter section.

6. A display according to claim 3, wherein said emitter section is made of at least one of a piezoelectric material, an electrostrictive material, or an anti-ferroelectric material.

7. A display comprising:

a housing having a first board; and

a plurality of chips each having an electron emitter;

said chips being arrayed on said first board;

at least said chips being electrically connected to each other;

said chips being sealed in vacuum in said housing.

8. A display according to claim 7, wherein said housing has a transparent plate facing said first board, said transparent plate supporting, on a surface thereof facing said first board, an electrode for producing an electric field between the electrode and said electron emitters, and a phosphor disposed on said electrode, and wherein electrons emitted from said electron emitters impinge on said phosphor to excite the phosphor for thereby emitting light therefrom.

9. A display according to claim 7, wherein each of said electron emitters comprises:

an emitter section made of a dielectric material; and

a first electrode and a second electrode which are disposed in contact with said emitter section;

and wherein when a drive voltage is applied between said first electrode and said second electrode, at least a portion of said emitter section has a polarization reversed or changed to emit electrons therefrom.

10. A display according to claim 9, wherein said first electrode and said second electrode are disposed in contact with a principal surface of said emitter section, with a slit defined between said first electrode and said second electrode, said emitter section being partly exposed through said slit.

11. A display according to claim 9, wherein said first electrode is disposed on a first surface of said emitter section, and said second electrode is disposed on a second surface of said emitter section.

12. A display according to claim 9, wherein said emitter section is made of at least one of a piezoelectric material, an electrostrictive material, or an anti-ferroelectric material.

13. A display comprising:

a housing having a first board; and

a plurality of electron emitters directly formed as a film on said first board;

said electron emitters being sealed in vacuum in said housing.

14. A display according to claim 13, wherein said housing has a transparent plate facing said first board, said transparent plate supporting, on a surface thereof facing said first board, an electrode for producing an electric field between the electrode and said electron emitters, and a phosphor disposed on said electrode, and wherein electrons emitted from said electron emitters impinge on said phosphor to excite the phosphor for thereby emitting light therefrom.

15. A display according to claim 14, wherein each of said electron emitters comprises:

an emitter section made of a dielectric material; and

a first electrode and a second electrode which are disposed in contact with said emitter section;

and wherein when a drive voltage is applied between said first electrode and said second electrode, at least a portion of said emitter section has a polarization reversed or changed to emit electrons therefrom.

16. A display according to claim 14, wherein said first electrode and said second electrode are disposed in contact with a principal surface of said emitter section, with a slit defined between said first electrode and said second electrode, said emitter section being partly exposed through said slit.

17. A display according to claim 14, wherein said first electrode is disposed on a first surface of said emitter section, and said second electrode is disposed on a second surface of said emitter section.

18. A display according to claim 14, wherein said emitter section is made of at least one of a piezoelectric material, an electrostrictive material, or an anti-ferroelectric material.

19. A display comprising:

a housing having a first board; and

a plurality of vacuum-sealed modules each having a plurality of electron emitters arrayed on a second board and sealed in vacuum;

said vacuum-sealed modules being arrayed on said first board;

at least said vacuum-sealed modules being electrically connected to each other.

20. A display according to claim 19, wherein each of said vacuum-sealed modules has a transparent plate facing said second board, said transparent plate supporting, on a surface thereof facing said second board, an electrode for producing an electric field between the electrode and said electron emitters, and a phosphor disposed on said electrode, and wherein electrons emitted from said electron emitters impinge on said phosphor to excite the phosphor for thereby emitting light therefrom.

21. A display according to claim 19, wherein each of said electron emitters comprises:

an emitter section made of a dielectric material; and

a first electrode and a second electrode which are disposed in contact with said emitter section;

and wherein when a drive voltage is applied between said first electrode and said second electrode, at least a portion of said emitter section has a polarization reversed or changed to emit electrons therefrom.

22. A display according to claim 21, wherein said first electrode and said second electrode are disposed in contact with a principal surface of said emitter section, with a slit defined between said first electrode and said second electrode, said emitter section being partly exposed through said slit.

23. A display according to claim 21, wherein said first electrode is disposed on a first surface of said emitter section, and said second electrode is disposed on a second surface of said emitter section.

24. A display according to claim 21, wherein said emitter section is made of at least one of a piezoelectric material, an electrostrictive material, or an anti-ferroelectric material.