PROCESS FOR APPLYING STRESS-BALANCED COATING COMPOSITE TO DIELECTRIC SURFACE OF GAS DISCHARGE DEVICE

• US 3,836,393 A
• Filed: 07/14/1971
• Issued: 09/17/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Techneglas LLC (Nippon Electric Glass Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brooke R. Emch, Roger E. Ernsthausen
• Inventors: Ernsthausen, Roger E., Emch, Brooke R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiffenbach, Cameron K.
• Application Number:
  US05/162,638
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 117/219,217,106,221,222,223,229,211,224 313/220,221,188
• US Class Current: 445/11
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 11/12 with main electrodes provided on both sides of the discharge space

Abstract

There is disclosed a process for applying a stress-balanced coating composite to each dielectric surface of a multiple gaseous discharge display/memory panel having an electrical memory and capable of producing a visual display, the panel being characterized by an ionizable gaseous medium in a gas chamber formed by a pair of opposed dielectric material charge storage members, each of which is respectively backed by an array of electrodes, the electrodes behind each dielectric material member being oriented with respect to the electrodes behind the opposing dielectric material member so as to define a plurality of discrete discharge volumes constituting a discharge unit. The surface of each dielectric material charge storage member is selectively coated with a first layer of at least one compound of Group IIA, Al, Si, Ti, Zr, Hf, or mixtures thereof; a second layer of at least one compound of Group IIA, Al, Si, Ti, Zr, Hf, or mixtures thereof which is chemically different from the first layer; and a third layer of an electron-emissive material; the combination of the first and second layers being sufficient to prevent ion migration from the dielectric to the third layer and sufficient to provide a thermally and structurally stable base for the third layer; and the second layer being chemically inert relative to the third layer.

Claims

2. The process of claim 1 wherein each layer is applied by means of electron beam evaporation.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein each dielectric member is heated to a temperature of about 150*F to about 600*F and the three-layer composite applied thereto.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the thickness of each layer is about 200 angstrom units to about 10,000 angstrom units.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the third layer is selected from GaAs, GaP, InAs, InSb, InP, NiO, AgOCs, and AuOCs.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein all three layers are oxides.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein the third layer is selected from magnesium oxide and lead oxide.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein the compounds of the first and second layers are selected from oxides.

9. The process of claim 8, wherein the third layer is selected from CsF, CsI, lead oxide and magnesium oxide.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein the thickness of each layer is at least 100 angstrom units.

11. The process of claim 10, wherein said first, second, and third layers are silica, aluminum oxide and lead oxide respectively.

12. The process of claim 10, wherein said first, second, and third layers are silica, zirconium oxide, and lead oxide respectively.

13. The process of claim 10, wherein said first, second, and third layers are magnesium oxide, zirconium oxide, and lead oxide respectively.

14. The process of claim 10, wherein said first, second, and third layers are Si3N4, silica, and lead oxide respectively.

15. The process of claim 10, wherein said first, second, and third layers are magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, and lead oxide respectively.

16. The process of claim 10, wherein said first, second, and third layers are silica, aluminum oxide, and magnesium oxide respectively.

17. The process of claim 10 wherein said first, second, and third layers are silica, zirconium oxide, and magnesium oxide respectively.

18. The process of claim 10 wherein said first, second, and third layers are magnesium oxide, zirconium oxide, and magnesium oxide respectively.

19. The process of claim 10 wherein said first, second, and third layers are Si3N4, silica, and magnesium oxide respectively.

20. The process of claim 10 wherein said first, second, and third layers are magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, and magnesium oxide respectively.

21. In a process for manufacturing a gaseous discharge display/memory device wherein an array of electrodes is applied to a glass substrate and a dielectric layer is applied over the electrodes, and wherein a pair of glass substrates are sealed, dielectric to dielectric, to form a chamber which is filled with an ionizable gas, the improvement which comprises electron beam evaporating and depositing upon the surface of each dielectric a three-layer composite;

the first layer consisting of at least one compound of Group IIA, Al, Si, Ti, Zr, Hf, or mixtures thereof;

the second layer consisting of at least one compound of Group IIA, Al, Si, Ti, Zr, Hf, or mixtures thereof which is chemically different fRom the first layer; and

the third layer consisting of an electron-emissive material;

the combination of the first and second layers being sufficient to prevent ion migration from the dielectric to the third layer and sufficient to provide a thermally and structurally stable base for the third layer; and

the second layer being chemically inert relative to the third layer.

22. The process of claim 21 wherein a sealing composition is applied to the perimeter of each substrate prior to the applying of the composite.

23. The process of claim 21 wherein the thickness of each layer is at least 100 angstrom units.

24. The process of claim 21 wherein the thickness of each layer is about 200 angstrom units to about 10,000 angstrom units.

25. The process of claim 21 wherein the third layer is selected from GaAs, GaP, InAs, InSb, InP, NiO, AgOCs, and AuOCs.

26. The process of claim 21 wherein said first, second, and third layers are silica, aluminum oxide and lead oxide respectively.

27. The process of claim 21 wherein said first, second, and third layers are silica, zirconium oxide, and lead oxide respectively.

28. The process of claim 21 wherein said first, second, and third layers are magnesium oxide, zirconium oxide, and lead oxide respectively.

29. The process of claim 21 wherein said first, second, and third layers are Si3N4, silica, and lead oxide respectively.

30. The process of claim 21 wherein said first, second, and third layers are magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, and lead oxide respectively.

31. The process of claim 21 wherein said first, second and third layers are silica, aluminum oxide, and magnesium oxide respectively.

32. The process of claim 21 wherein said first, second and third layers are silica, zirconium oxide, and magnesium oxide respectively.

33. The process of claim 21 wherein said first, second, and third layers are magnesium oxide, zirconium oxide, and magnesium oxide respectively.

34. The process of claim 21 wherein said first, second, and third layers are Si3N4, silica, and magnesium oxide.

35. The process of claim 21 wherein said first, second, and third layers are magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, and magnesium oxide respectively.

36. The process of claim 22 wherein each layer is applied while each substrate is at a temperature of about 150*F to about 600* F.

37. The process of claim 36 wherein the first layer is magnesium oxide, the second layer is aluminum oxide, and the third layer is selected from magnesium oxide or lead oxide.

38. The process of claim 21 wherein the compounds of the first and second layers are selected from oxides.

39. The process of claim 38 wherein the third layer is selected from CsF, CsI, lead oxide and magnesium oxide.