High efficiency panel display

Claim 1

An electronic display comprising: a base means for providing a construction surface; a plurality of electroluminescent cells arranged in a dot matrix array over said construction surface; and excitation means connected to said electroluminescent cells for selectively electrically exciting said electroluminescent cells; each of said electroluminescent cells comprising: a structure of electroluminescent material having a length dimension substantially orthogonal to said construction surface, said length dimension greater than any dimension of said structure parallel to said construction surface; a first electrode contacting said structure along substantially the length of said structure and connected to said excitation means; a second electrode contacting said structure along substantially the length of said structure opposite said first electrode and connected to said excitation means, said structure of electroluminescent material being substantially contained between said first and said second electrodes; and insulative means for insulating electrically conductive elements from one another to prevent electrical shorts.

Claim 8

A method for constructing an electroluminescent display comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of conductive row traces on a base surface, said conductive row traces having a height H above said base surface; positioning a mask having an array of rows and columns of openings therethrough over and spaced apart from said base surface, the center spacing from row to row for said openings being the centerline spacing between said adjacent rows of conductive row traces on said base surface; directing a vapor flux of electroluminescent material toward said mask from the side opposite said base surface, a portion of said vapor flux passing through said openings in said mask and solidifying in electroluminescent structures contacting said conductive row traces for substantially the height H of said row traces, said height H being greater than any dimension of one of said electroluminescent structures parallel to said base surface; applying photoresist material over said rows of conductive row traces and said electroluminescent structures to a depth of substantially the height H of said conductive row traces, leaving the ends of said electroluminescent structures opposite said base surface exposed on a top surface; exposing said photoresist material through a mask, curing said material except for areas adjacent each of said electroluminescent structures directly opposite the area of contact of said electroluminescent structures with said conductive row traces; removing uncured photoresist material with solvent so that said photoresist material has holes substantially the height H of said electroluminescent structures on a side of each of said structures opposite the side of contact with one of said conductive row traces; and forming column traces on said top surface by applying conductive material over a silkscreen mask, one of said column traces formed per column of electroluminescent structures, said conductive material being urged into and filling said holes, said column traces arranged at right angles to said row traces and electrically isolated from said row

Claim 9

A method for constructing an electroluminescent display comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of conductive row traces on a base surface, said conductive row traces having a height H above said base surface; positioning a mask having an array of rows and columns of openings therethrough over and spaced apart from said base surface, the center spacing from row to row for said openings being the centerline spacing between said adjacent rows of conductive row traces on said base surface; directing a vapor flux of electroluminescent material toward said mask from the side opposite said base surface, a portion of said vapor flux passing through said openings in said mask and solidifying in electroluminescent structures contacting said conductive row traces for substantially the height H of said row traces, said height H being greater than any dimension of one of said electroluminescent structures parallel to said base surface; applying photoresist material over said rows of conductive row traces and said electroluminescent structures to a depth of substantially the height H of said conductive row traces, leaving the ends of said electroluminescent structures opposite said base surface exposed on a top surface; exposing said photoresist material through a mask, curing said material except for areas adjacent each of said electroluminescent structures directly opposite the area of contact of said electroluminescent structures with said conductive row traces; removing uncured photoresist material with solvent so that said photoresist material has holes substantially the height H of said electroluminescent structures on a side of each of said structures opposite the side of contact with one of said conductive row traces; and forming column traces on said top surface by applying conductive material over a silkscreen mask, one of said column traces formed per column of electroluminescent structures, said conductive material being urged into and filling said holes, said column traces arranged at right angles to said row traces and electrically isolated from said row

Claim 10

A method of forming an electroluminescent display comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of structures of electroluminescent material arranged in a dot matrix array on a base surface, each said structure having a height from the base surface greater than any dimension of the electroluminescent structure parallel to the base surface; forming a first electrode extending along and contacting substantially the height of each said structure of electroluminescent material; forming a second electrode extending along and contacting substantially the height of each said structure of electroluminescent material opposite said first electrode and not contacting said first electrode, each said structure of electroluminescent material being substantially contained between said first and second electrodes; and connecting said first and second electrodes to an excitation means for providing an excitation voltage selectively across first and second electrodes.

Claim 11

A method of forming an electroluminescent display comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of structures of electroluminescent material arranged in a dot matrix array on a base surface, each said structure having a height from the base surface greater than any dimension of the electroluminescent structure parallel to the base surface; forming a first electrode extending along and contacting substantially the height of each said structure of electroluminescent material; forming a second electrode extending along and contacting substantially the height of each said structure of electroluminescent material opposite said first electrode and not contacting said first electrode, each said structure of electroluminescent material being substantially contained between said first and second electrodes; and connecting said first and second electrodes to an excitation means for providing an excitation voltage selectively across first and second electrodes.

Claim 12

A method for forming an electroluminescent display comprising the steps of: applying a film of electroluminescent material to a base surface; patterning the film of electroluminescent material and etching away patterned areas to leave separated vertical structures of electroluminescent material extending substantially orthogonal to the base surface, each having a height greater than any dimension parallel to the base surface; coating the separated vertical structures preferentially from opposite sides with an electrically conductive material; etching away conductive material to leave conductive electrodes on opposite sides of each of the vertical structures disconnected from other electrodes; coating the structures and electrodes with a layer of insulative material; removing the insulative material from the ends of the vertical structures away from the base surface; opening windows in the insulative material between vertical structures to expose areas of electrodes for connection; and applying electrically conductive traces connecting over the insulative material to the exposed areas of the electrodes for connecting to an electrical excitation means for selectively exciting the electroluminescent material of the vertical structures.

Claim 13

A method for forming an electroluminescent display comprising the steps of: applying a film of electroluminescent material to a base surface; patterning the film of electroluminescent material and etching away patterned areas to leave separated vertical structures of electroluminescent material extending substantially orthogonal to the base surface, each having a height greater than any dimension parallel to the base surface; coating the separated vertical structures preferentially from opposite sides with an electrically conductive material; etching away conductive material to leave conductive electrodes on opposite sides of each of the vertical structures disconnected from other electrodes; coating the structures and electrodes with a layer of insulative material; removing the insulative material from the ends of the vertical structures away from the base surface; opening windows in the insulative material between vertical structures to expose areas of electrodes for connection; and applying electrically conductive traces connecting over the insulative material to the exposed areas of the electrodes for connecting to an electrical excitation means for selectively exciting the electroluminescent material of the vertical structures.