EP0443865A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Field emission device and method of manufacture therefor
Assignee: Seiko Epson Corp
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Filing: 1991-02-22
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-02-22
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides a field emission device and a method of manufacturing the same. The device comprises a plane substrate (1), a cathode electrode (2) provided on the plane substrate and formed with emission projections (3) extending generally parallel to the surface of the plane substrate, and a gate electrode (4) provided on the plane substrate for controlling the electron emission by the emission projections. The emission projections at least of the cathode electrode are formed on an insulation layer (6) on the surface of the plane substrate such that the tips of the emission projections are positioned vertically above the level of the gate electrode, which enhances the performance of the device.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroshi C/O Seiko Epson Corporation 3-5 Komatsu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 02:28
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J21/00; H01J21/02; H01J21/06; H01J21/10; H01J21/105; H01J3/00; H01J3/02; H01J3/021; H01J3/022
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
94 words
A field emission device comprising a substrate (1, 21, 31), a cathode electrode (2, 22, 32) provided on the substrate and formed with emission projections (3, 23, 33) extending generally parallel to the surface of the substrate, and a gate electrode (4, 24, 34) provided on the substrate for controlling electron emission by the emission projections, characterised in that at least the emission projections are formed on an insulation layer (6, 26, 36) on the substrate such that the tips of the emission projections are positioned vertically above the level of the gate electrode.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
34 words
A field emission device according to claim 1 characterised in that the gate electrode (4) and the emission projections (3) have mutually overlapping portions with the insulation layer (6) or a space (7) there-between.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
A field emission device according to claim 1 or 2 characterised in that the gate electrode (24) has a contour portion (27) having a shape identical to the shape of the emission projections (23).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
A field emission device according to any of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that at least a portion of the gate electrode (34) has an inclined plane, which slopes relative to the general direction of the emission projections (33).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
A field emission device according to any preceding claim characterised by an anode electrode (5, 25, 35) formed from the same layer as the emission projections or the gate electrode.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
97 words
A method of manufacturing a field emission device comprising the steps of forming a cathode electrode (2, 22, 32) on a substrate with emission projections (3, 23, 33) extending generally parallel to the surface of the substrate, and forming a gate electrode (4, 24, 34) on the substrate for controlling electron emission by the emission projections, and characterised by forming an insulation layer (6, 26, 36) on the substrate beneath at least the emission projections of the cathode electrode such that the tips of the emission projections are positioned vertically above the level of the gate electrode.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
101 words
A method according to claim 6 characterised in that the steps of forming the insulation layer and the cathode electrode comprise forming the insulation layer on the surface of the substrate (1) and on the surface of the gate electrode (4), forming a cathode electrode layer (9) on the surface of the insulation layer, treating the cathode electrode layer by means of an excess etching process to form the cathode electrode (2), and partially etching the insulation layer with the cathode electrode as an etching mask for exposing the gate electrode and at least the tips of the emission projections (3).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
129 words
A method according to claim 6 characterised in that the steps of forming the insulation layer (26), the cathode electrode (22) and the gate electrode (24) comprise forming an insulation layer (28) over the surface of the substrate (21), forming a cathode electrode layer (29) on the surface of the insulation layer, treating the cathode electrode layer by means of an excess etching process to form the cathode electrode (22), partially etching the insulation layer with the cathode electrode as an etching mask to expose at least the tips of the emission projections (23), forming a gate electrode layer (30) by directional particle deposition on the surface of the substrate and the surface of the cathode electrode, and etching the gate electrode layer to form the gate electrode (24).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
144 words
A method according to claim 6 characterised in that the steps of forming the insulation layer (36), the cathode electrode (32) and the gate electrode (34) comprise forming an insulation layer (38) on the surface of the substrate (31), partially etching the insulation layer by an excess etching process to form an insulation layer (36) having a reverse taper shape in section, etching the substrate to form an inclined plane (37) adjacent an end of the insulation layer, forming an electrode layer (40) by directional particle deposition on the surface of the substrate and the surface of the insulation layer, etching the electrode layer to form the gate electrode (34) and the cathode electrode (32), and partially etching a side surface of the insulation layer with the cathode electrode as an etching mask to expose at least the tips of the emission projections (33).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
146 words
Field electron emission apparatus, within field electron emission apparatus that furnishes at least an insulating plane substrate (1, 21, 31), a cathode electrode (2, 22, 32) that is a cathode electrode furnished on the surface of the said plane substrate and that furnishes emission projections (3, 23, 33) having a salient direction parallel to the surface of the said plane substrate, and a gate electrode (4, 24, 34) that is a gate electrode furnished on the surface of the said plane substrate for the purpose of controlling the amount of electron emission of the said emission projections, characterised in that at least the said emission projections are furnished on the surface of the said plane substrate so as to hold an insulation layer (6, 26, 36) and at least the tips of the said emission projections are positioned generally vertically directly over the said gate electrode.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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