Socket for use with a micro-component in a light-emitting panel

• US 6,545,422 B1
• Filed: 10/27/2000
• Issued: 04/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Leidos, Inc. (Leidos Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Science Applications International Corporation
• Inventors: Johnson, Roger Laverne, Green, Albert Myron, George, Edward Victor, Wyeth, Newell Convers
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, THUY V
• Application Number:
  US09/697,346
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 315/169.3, 315/312, 315/324, 313/484, 313/485, 313/491, 313/502, 313/506, 445/24, 445/26, 445/27, 445/29, 445/33
• US Class Current: 315/169.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4257 applied to monitoring the characteristics of a beam, e.g. laser beam, headlamp beam monitoring arrangements for lasers in general H01S3/0014
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/443 Emission spectrometry
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0426 Layout of electrodes and connections
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0439 Pixel structures
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/08 Active matrix structure, i.e. with use of active elements, inclusive of non-linear two terminal elements, in the pixels together with light emitting or modulating elements
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/288 using AC panels
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 11/18 containing a plurality of independent closed structures for containing the gas, e.g. plasma tube array [PTA] display panels
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 17/49 Display panels, e.g. with crossed electrodes , e.g. making use of direct current display panels making use of alternating current H01J11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 61/30 Vessels; Containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 61/305 Flat vessels or containers

Abstract

An improved light-emitting panel having a plurality of micro-components at least partially disposed in a socket and sandwiched between two substrates is disclosed. Each micro-component contains a gas or gas-mixture capable of ionization when a sufficiently large voltage is supplied across the micro-component via at least two electrodes.

Claims

1. A light-emitting panel comprising:

a first substrate comprising a plurality of material layers;

a second substrate opposed to the first substrate;

a plurality of sockets, each socket comprising a cavity, the cavity being formed by selectively removing a portion of the material layers, wherein the cavity is in a shape selected from the group consisting of a cube, a cone, a conical frustum, a paraboloid, spherical, cylindrical, a pyramid, a pyramidal frustum, a parallelepiped, and a prism;

a plurality of micro-components, wherein at least one micro-component of the plurality of micro-components is at least partially disposed in each socket; and

a plurality of electrodes, wherein at least one electrode of the plurality of electrodes is disposed on or within the material layers.

2. The light-emitting display of claim 1, wherein at least two electrodes of the plurality of electrodes are arranged so that voltage supplied to the at least two electrodes causes one or more micro-components to emit radiation throughout the field of view of the light-emitting panel without crossing the at least two electrodes.

3. The light-emitting panel of claim 1, wherein the depth of the cavity is selected to achieve a specific field of view for the light-emitting display.

4. The light-emitting panel of claim 1, wherein at least one socket is at least partially coated with phosphor.

5. The light-emitting panel of claim 1, wherein at least one socket is at least partially coated with a reflective material.

6. The light-emitting panel of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive or bonding agent disposed in the cavity.

7. The light-emitting panel of claim 1, wherein the plurality of material layers comprise at least one enhancement material selected from the group consisting of anti-glare coatings, touch sensitive surfaces, contrast enhancement coatings, and protective coatings.

8. The light-emitting panel of claim 1, wherein the plurality of material layers comprise at least one enhancement material selected from the group consisting of transistors, integrated-circuits, semiconductor devices, inductors, capacitors, resistors, diodes, control electronics, drive electronics, pulse-forming networks, pulse compressors, pulse transformers, and tuned-circuits.

9. A method for forming a socket for use in a light emitting display, comprising the steps of:

disposing a plurality of material layers, wherein the step of disposing the plurality of material layers comprises the step of disposing at least one electrode within the material layers; and

selectively removing a portion of the plurality of material layers and the at least one electrode to form a cavity, wherein the cavity is capable of at least partially supporting at least one micro-component.

10. The method of claim 9, performed as part of a continuous inline process.

11. The method of claim 10, performed as part of a continuous inline process.

12. A method for forming a socket for use in a light-emitting display, comprising the steps of:

providing a substrate;

patterning the substrate so as to form a cavity in the substrate;

disposing a plurality of material layers on the substrate such that the plurality of material layers conform to the shape of the cavity, wherein the step of disposing a plurality of material layers on the substrate comprises the step of disposing at least one electrode within the material layers.

13. A light-emitting panel comprising:

at least one micro-component;

a socket, wherein the socket comprises a cavity, wherein the at least one micro-component and the cavity have complimentary shapes, and wherein the opening of the cavity is smaller than the diameter of a micro-component so that when the at least one micro-component is disposed in the cavity the at least one micro-component is held in place by the cavity; and

at least two electrodes, wherein the at least two electrodes are arranged so that voltage supplied to the at least two electrodes causes one or more micro-components to emit radiation.

14. A light-emitting panel comprising:

a first substrate;

a plurality of material layers disposed on the first substrate, wherein each material layer of the plurality of material layers comprises an aperture;

a second substrate opposed to the first substrate;

a plurality of sockets, wherein each socket comprises a cavity and wherein the cavity is formed by aligning the apertures of the plurality of material layers;

a plurality of micro-components, wherein at least one micro-component of the plurality of micro-components is at least partially disposed in each socket;

a plurality of electrodes, wherein at least one electrode of the plurality of electrodes is disposed on or within the material layers.

15. The light-emitting display of claim 14, wherein at least two electrodes of the plurality of electrodes are arranged so that voltage supplied to the at least two electrodes causes one or more micro-components to emit radiation throughout the field of view of the light-emitting panel without crossing the at least two electrodes.

16. The light-emitting panel of claim 14, wherein the cavity is in a shape selected from the group consisting of a cube, a cone, a conical frustum, a paraboloid, spherical, cylindrical, a pyramid, a pyramidal frustum, a parallelepiped, and a prism.

17. The light-emitting panel of claim 14, wherein the depth of the cavity is selected to achieve a specific field of view for the light-emitting display.

18. The light-emitting panel of claim 14, wherein at least one socket is at least partially coated with phosphor.

19. The light-emitting panel of claim 14, wherein at least one socket is at least partially coated with a reflective material.

20. The light-emitting panel of claim 14, further comprising an adhesive or bonding agent disposed in the cavity.

21. The light-emitting panel of claim 14, wherein the plurality of material layers comprise at least one enhancement material selected from the group consisting of anti-glare coatings, touch sensitive surfaces, contrast enhancement coatings, and protective coatings.

22. The light-emitting panel of claim 14, wherein the plurality of material layers comprise at least one enhancement material selected from the group consisting of transistors, integrated-circuits, semiconductor devices, inductors, capacitors, resistors, diodes, control electronics, drive electronics, pulse-forming networks, pulse compressors, pulse transformers, and tuned-circuits.

23. A light-emitting panel comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate opposed to the first substrate;

a plurality of sockets, each socket of the plurality of sockets comprising a cavity patterned on the first substrate so as to be formed in the first substrate, wherein an adhesive or bonding agent is disposed in the cavity;

a plurality of micro-components, wherein at least one micro-component of the plurality of micro-components is at least partially disposed in each socket; and

a plurality of electrodes, wherein at least two electrodes of the plurality of electrodes are adhered to only the first substrate, only the second substrate, or at least one electrode is adhered to the each of the first substrate and the second substrate and wherein the at least two electrodes are arranged so that voltage supplied to the at least two electrodes causes one or more micro-components to emit radiation.