US5659329A — Electron source, and image-forming apparatus and …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 160 words

An electron source adapted to emit electrons as a function of input signals, said electron source comprising: a substrate; a matrix of wires having m row wires and n column wires laid on said substrate with an insulator layer interposed therebetween; and a plurality of surface-conduction electron-emitting devices each having a pair of electrodes and a thin film including an electron emitting region and arranged between said electrodes, each of said plurality of surface-conduction electron emitting devices having a device current and an electron emission current monotonically increasing as a function of the device voltage thereto, said plurality of surface-conduction electron-emitting devices being so arranged as to form a matrix with said electrodes connected to the respective row and column wires; selection means for selecting a row of said plurality of surface-conduction electron-emitting devices; and modulation means for generating modulation signals according to input signals and applying the modulation signals to said surface-conduction electron-emitting devices selected by said selection means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 160 words

An electron source adapted to emit electrons as a function of input signals, said electron source comprising: a substrate; a matrix of wires having m row wires and n column wires laid on said substrate with an insulator layer interposed therebetween; and a plurality of surface-conduction electron-emitting devices each having a pair of electrodes and a thin film including an electron emitting region and arranged between said electrodes, each of said plurality of surface-conduction electron emitting devices having a device current and an electron emission current monotonically increasing as a function of the device voltage thereto, said plurality of surface-conduction electron-emitting devices being so arranged as to form a matrix with said electrodes connected to the respective row and column wires; selection means for selecting a row of said plurality of surface-conduction electron-emitting devices; and modulation means for generating modulation signals according to input signals and applying the modulation signals to said surface-conduction electron-emitting devices selected by said selection means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 18 words

An electron source according to claim 1, wherein said surface-conduction electron-emitting devices are plane type surface-conduction electron-emitting devices.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 18 words

An electron source according to claim 1, wherein said surface-conduction electron-emitting device are step type surface-conduction electron-emitting devices.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 27 words

An electron source according to claim 3, wherein said step type surface-conduction electron-emitting devices have a step region serving as at least part of said insulator layer.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 38 words

An electron source according to claim 3, wherein said step type surface-conduction electron-emitting devices have a step region made of a material same as or containing at least an ingredient common with the material of said insulator layer.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 21 words

An electron source according to claim 1, wherein said thin film including an electron emitting region constituted of conductive fine particles.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 81 words

An electron source according to claim 6, wherein said conductive fine particles are made of at least a material selected from Pd, Ru, Ag, Au, Ti, In, Cu, Cr, Fe, Zn, Sn, Ta, W, Pb, PbO, SnO 2 , In 2 O 3 , PdO, Sb 2 O 3 , HfB 2 , ZrB 2 , LAB 6 , CeB 6 , YB 4 , GdB 4 , TiC, ZrC, HfC, TaC, SiC, WC, TiN, ZrN, HfN, Si, Ge, carbon, Ag-Mg.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 47 words

An electron source according to claim 1, wherein said thin film including an electron emitting region, said device electrodes, said m row wires, said n column wires or the material of said connection or any combinations thereof are partially or totally the same in their constituent elements.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 29 words

An electron source according to claim 1, wherein said insulator layer is arranged only on and near the crossings of said m row wires and said n column wires.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 17 words

An electron source according to claim 1, wherein said surface-conduction electron-emitting devices are formed on said substrate.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 18 words

An electron source according to claim 1, wherein said surface-conduction electron-emitting devices are formed on said insulator layer.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 30 words

An electron source according to claim 1, wherein two or more than two of a plurality of electron beams emitted from said plurality of surface-conduction electron-emitting devices are collected together.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 26 words

An electron source according to claim 1, wherein said modulation means generate pulses having a variable pulse height determined as a function of said input signals.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 26 words

An electron source according to claim 1, wherein said modulation means generate pulses having a variable pulse width determined as a function of said input signals.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 31 words

An electron source according to claim 1, wherein said modulation means generate pulses having a variable pulse height and a variable pulse width determined as a function of said input signals.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 39 words

An electron source according to claim 1, wherein it further comprises separation means for drawing synchronizing signals from said input signals and said selection means sequentially select a row of said surface-conduction electron-emitting devices according to said synchronizing signals.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 25 words

An electron source according to claim 1, wherein said selection means select a row of said surface-conduction electron-emitting devices by generating pulses having different heights.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 37 words

An electron source according to claim 17, wherein the selected row of electron-emitting devices are modulated by pulses generated by said modulation means and having a variable pulse height determined as a function of said input signals.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 37 words

An electron source according to claim 17, wherein the selected row of electron-emitting devices are modulated by pulses generated by said modulation means and having a variable pulse width determined as a function of said input signals.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 39 words

An electron source according to claim 17, wherein the selected row of electron-emitting devices are modulated by pulses generated by said modulation means and having variable pulse height and pulse width determined as a function of said input signals.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 57 words

An electron source according to claim 1, wherein it further comprises division means for dividing the input signals into a plurality of signal groups, said plurality of rows and columns of surface-conduction type electron-emitting devices being so adapted as to be selected according to the signals for the plurality of signal groups generated by said division means.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 23 words

An electron source according to claim 21, wherein a constant voltage is applied to the rows or columns adjacent to the selected ones.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 172 words

An image-forming apparatus adapted to form images as a function of input signals comprising: an electron source; and an image-forming member; said electron source comprising: a substrate; a matrix of wires having m row wires and n column wires laid on said substrate with an insulator layer interposed therebetween; and a plurality of surface-conduction electron-emitting devices each having a pair of electrodes and a thin film including an electron emitting region and arranged between said electrodes, each of said plurality of surface-conduction electron emitting devices having a characteristic for a device current and an electron emission current monotonically increasing as a function of the device voltage applied thereto, said plurality of surface-conduction, electron-emitting devices being so arranged as to form a matrix with said electrodes connected to the respective row and column wires; selection means for selecting a row of said plurality of surface-conduction electron-emitting devices; and modulation means for generating modulation signals according to input signals and applying the modulation signals to said surface-conduction electron-emitting devices selected by said selection means.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 172 words

An image-forming apparatus adapted to form images as a function of input signals comprising: an electron source; and an image-forming member; said electron source comprising: a substrate; a matrix of wires having m row wires and n column wires laid on said substrate with an insulator layer interposed therebetween; and a plurality of surface-conduction electron-emitting devices each having a pair of electrodes and a thin film including an electron emitting region and arranged between said electrodes, each of said plurality of surface-conduction electron emitting devices having a characteristic for a device current and an electron emission current monotonically increasing as a function of the device voltage applied thereto, said plurality of surface-conduction, electron-emitting devices being so arranged as to form a matrix with said electrodes connected to the respective row and column wires; selection means for selecting a row of said plurality of surface-conduction electron-emitting devices; and modulation means for generating modulation signals according to input signals and applying the modulation signals to said surface-conduction electron-emitting devices selected by said selection means.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 18 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said surface-conduction electron-emitting devices are plane type surface-conduction electron-emitting devices.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 18 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said surface-conduction electron-emitting device are step type surface-conduction electron-emitting devices.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 27 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said step type surface-conduction electron-emitting devices have a step region serving as at least part of said insulator layer.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 38 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said step type surface-conduction electron-emitting devices have a step region made of a material same as or containing at least an ingredient common with the material of said insulator layer.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 46 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein its inside is held to such a degree of vacuum that said surface-conduction electron-emitting devices has a characteristic for its device current and electron emission current of monotonously increasing as a function of the device voltage applied thereto.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 21 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said thin film including an electron emitting region constituted of conductive fine particles.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 81 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said conductive fine particles are made of at least a material selected from Pd, Ru, Ag, Au, Ti, In, Cu, Cr, Fe, Zn, Sn, Ta, W, Pb, PbO, SnO 2 , In 2 O 3 , PdO, Sb 2 O 3 , HfB 2 , ZrB 2 , LAB 6 , CeB 6 , YB 4 , GdB 4 , TiC, ZrC, HfC, TaC, SiC, WC, TiN, ZrN, HfN, Si, Ge, carbon, Ag-Mg.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 49 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein at least said thin film including an electron emitting region, said device electrodes, said m row wires, said n column wires or the material of said connection or any combinations thereof are partially or totally the same in their constituent elements.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 29 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said insulator layer is arranged only on and near the crossings of said m row wires and said n column wires.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 17 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said surface-conduction electron-emitting devices are formed on said substrate.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 77 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said plurality of electron emitting regions of said surface-conduction electron emitting device are mutually arranged with an interval W satisfying equation (I) below: K.sub.2 ×2H(Vf/Va).sup.1/2 ≧W/2≧K.sub.3 ×2H(Vf/Va).sup.1/2 (I) where K 2 =1.25±0.05, K 3 =0.35±0.05, H is the distance between the surface-conduction electron-emitting devices and the image-forming member, Vf is the voltage applied to the surface-conduction type electron-emitting device and Va is the voltage applied to the image-forming member.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 19 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said surface-conduction type electron-emitting devices are formed on said insulator layer.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 36 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein two or more than two of a plurality of electron beams emitted from said plurality of surface-conduction electron-emitting devices are collected together on the said image forming member.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 88 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said plurality of electron emitting regions of said plurality of surface-conduction electron emitting devices are mutually arranged with pitch P for the columns satisfying equation (II) below: P<L+2K.sub.5 ×2H(Vf/Va).sup.1/2 (II) where K 5 =0.8, L is the distance of the columns of surface-conduction electron-emitting device, H is the distance between the surface-conduction type electron-emitting devices and the image-forming member, Vf is the voltage applied to the surface-conduction type electron-emitting device, and Va is the voltage applied to the image-forming member.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 89 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said plurality of electron emitting regions of said plurality of surface-conduction type electron emitting devices are mutually arranged with pitch P for the columns satisfying equation (III) below: P≧L+2K.sub.6 ×2H(Vf/Va).sup.1/2 (III) where K 6 =0.9, L is the distance of the columns of surface-conduction type electron-emitting device, H is the distance between the surface-conduction type electron-emitting devices and the image-forming member, Vf is the voltage applied to the surface-conduction electron-emitting device, and Va is the voltage applied to the image-forming member.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 26 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said modulation means generate pulses having a variable pulse height determined as a function of said input signals.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 26 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said modulation means generate pulses having a variable pulse width determined as a function of said input signals.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 31 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said modulation means generate pulses having a variable pulse height and a variable pulse width determined as a function of said input signals.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 38 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein it further comprises separation means for drawing synchronizing signals from said input signals and said selection means sequentially select row of said surface-conduction type electron-emitting devices according to said synchronizing-signals.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 25 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said selection means select row of said surface-conduction type electron-emitting devices by generating pulses having different heights.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 37 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the selected row of electron-emitting devices are modulated by pulses generated by said modulation means and having a variable pulse height determined as a function of said input signals.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 37 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the selected row of electron-emitting devices are modulated by pulses generated by said modulation means and having a variable pulse width determined as a function of said input signals.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 39 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the selected row of electron-emitting devices are modulated by pulses generated by said modulation means and having variable pulse height and pulse width determined as a function of said input signals.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 56 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein it further comprises division means for dividing the input signals into a plurality of signal groups, said plurality of rows or columns of surface-conduction electron-emitting devices being so adapted as to be selected according to the signals for the plurality of signal groups generated by said division means.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 23 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein a constant voltage is applied to the rows or columns adjacent to the selected ones.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 17 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said image-forming member is made of a fluorescent material.

Claim 52

Dependent Claim 39 words

An image-forming apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said input signals are at least TV signals, signals fed from an image input apparatus, signals fed from an image memory or signals fed from a computer of any combinations thereof.

Claim 53

Dependent Claim 14 words

Use of the electron source of any of claims 1-22 for an image-forming apparatus.

Claim 54

Dependent Claim 14 words

Use of the electron source of any of claims 1-22 for a display apparatus.

Claim 55

Dependent Claim 14 words

Use of the image-forming apparatus of any of claims 23-50 for a television set.

Claim 56

Dependent Claim 15 words

Use of the image-forming apparatus of any of claims 23-50 for a computer terminal unit.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-08-18	2001-02-17	2001-08-19	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-08-18	2005-02-17	2005-08-19	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-08-18	2009-02-17	2009-08-19	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Electron source, and image-forming apparatus and method of driving the same

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