Past-deposited carbon electron emitters
First Claim
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1. A process for producing a field emission electron emitter, which comprises:
- (a) forming a layer of composite which comprises graphite particles and glass on a substrate, wherein said glass adheres to said substrate and to portions of said graphite particles thereby affixing said graphite particles to one another and to said substrate and wherein at least 50% of the surface area of said layer of composite consists of portions of said graphite particles; and
(b) bombarding the surface of the layer formed in (a) with an ion beam which comprises ions of argon, neon, krypton or xenon for a time sufficient to form whiskers on said graphite particles.
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Abstract
Patterned ion-bombarded carbon electron emitters and the processes for producing them. The electron emitters are produced by forming a layer of composite of carbon particles and glass on a substrate then bombarding the composite with an ion beam. The electron emitters are useful in field emitter cathode assemblies which are fabricated into flat panel displays.
181 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A process for producing a field emission electron emitter, which comprises:
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(a) forming a layer of composite which comprises graphite particles and glass on a substrate, wherein said glass adheres to said substrate and to portions of said graphite particles thereby affixing said graphite particles to one another and to said substrate and wherein at least 50% of the surface area of said layer of composite consists of portions of said graphite particles; and
(b) bombarding the surface of the layer formed in (a) with an ion beam which comprises ions of argon, neon, krypton or xenon for a time sufficient to form whiskers on said graphite particles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
(a) screen printing a paste comprised of graphite particles and glass frit onto said substrate in a desired pattern, wherein the volume per cent of said graphite particles is about 35% to about 80% of the total volume of said graphite particles and said glass frit; and
(b) firing the dried patterned paste to soften said glass frit and cause it to adhere to said substrate and to portions of said graphite particles thereby affixing said graphite particles to one another and to said substrate to produce said layer of composite.
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12. The process of claim 2, wherein said layer of composite is formed by a process, which comprises:
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(a) screen printing a paste comprised of graphite particles, glass frit, a photoinitiator and a photohardenable monomer onto said substrate, wherein the volume per cent of said graphite particles is about 35% to about 80% of the total volume of said graphite particles and said glass frit;
(b) photopatterning the dried paste; and
(c) firing the patterned dried paste to soften said glass frit and cause it to adhere to said substrate and to portions of said graphite particles thereby affixing said graphite particles to one another and to said substrate to produce said layer of composite.
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13. The process as in claim 11 or 12, wherein said paste is comprised of from about 40 wt % to about 60 wt % solids comprised of graphite particles and glass frit, the weight percentage being based on the total weight of said paste.
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14. The process of claim 13, wherein said substrate comprises glass and said firing is at a temperature of about 450°
- C. to about 575°
C. for about 10 minutes.
- C. to about 575°
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15. The process of claim 14, wherein said firing is at a temperature of about 450°
- C. to about 525°
C. for about 10 minutes.
- C. to about 525°
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16. The process as in any one of claims 2, 11 or 12, wherein said glass is lead-free.
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17. The process as in claim 11 or 12, wherein the thickness of the fired layer of composite is from about 10 μ
- m to about 30 μ
m and said ion beam further comprises ions of nitrogen.
- m to about 30 μ
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18. An electron emitter made by the process of any one of claims 2, 11, or 12.
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19. A flat panel display comprising the,electron emitter of claim 18.
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20. The flat panel display of claim 19, further comprising at least one gate electrode.
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21. The process as in any one of claims 1, 2, 11, or 12, wherein a mask covers any portions of said substrate which would otherwise be exposed to said ion beam.
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22. The process of claim 21, wherein said mask is a graphite mask.
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23. The process of claim 21, wherein said mask further covers any portions of said layer of composite that are not to be exposed to said ion beam.
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24. The process of claim 23, wherein said mask is a graphite mask.
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25. A process for forming a layer of composite which comprises graphite and glass on a substrate, which comprises:
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(a) screen printing a paste comprised of graphite particles and glass frit onto the substrate in a desired pattern, wherein the volume per cent of said graphite particles is about 35% to about 80% of the total volume of the said graphite particles and said glass frit; and
(b) firing the dried patterned paste to soften said glass frit and cause it to adhere to said substrate and to portions of said graphite particles thereby affixing said graphite particles to one another and to said substrate to produce said layer of composite, wherein at least 50% of the surface area of said layer of composite consists of portions of said graphite particles. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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- 27. A process for producing a field emission electron emitter, which comprises forming a layer of composite which comprises carbon nanotubes and glass on a substrate, wherein said glass adheres to said substrate and to portions of said carbon nanotubes thereby affixing said carbon nanotubes to one another and to said substrate and wherein at least 50% of the surface area of said layer of composite consists of portions of said carbon nanotubes.
Specification