US5705079A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for forming spacers in flat panel displays using photo-etching
Assignee: Micron Technology Inc
•
Filing: 1996-01-19
•
Granted: 1998-01-06
•
Expires: 2016-01-19
Abstract
Abstract Photoetchable glass is used to form spacer elements for large area field emission displays. Frit dots are placed onto a substrate. A sheet of photo etchable glass is exposed to UV light using a mask such that the UV light exposes the etchable areas and does not expose the areas which will form the spacers. The etchable glass is then heat treated to crystallize the UV exposed areas and to tailor the coefficient of thermal expansion. Next the glass is adhered to the frit coated substrate and the UV exposed areas etched away leaving spacers adhered to frit dots.
Inventors
- 👤 Jason B. Elledge
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 21:41
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J9/00; H01J9/24; H01J9/241; H01J9/242; C; C03; C03C; C03C15/00; C03C23/00; C03C23/0005; C03C23/002; C03C23/007; H01J31/00; H01J31/08; H01J31/10; H01J31/12; H01J31/123; H01J2329/00; H01J2329/86; H01J2329/8625
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
93 words
A method for making spacer elements for large area field emission displays comprising the steps of: forming a number of adhesive areas on a substrate; exposing a sheet of photo etchable material to light through a mask such that the exposure of light defines areas which will form spacers and areas to be later removed; adhering the areas which will form the spacers to the adhesive areas on the substrate; and removing the areas to be removed from the photo etchable material, thereby leaving spacers adhered to said substrate at the adhesive areas.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
93 words
A method for making spacer elements for large area field emission displays comprising the steps of: forming a number of adhesive areas on a substrate; exposing a sheet of photo etchable material to light through a mask such that the exposure of light defines areas which will form spacers and areas to be later removed; adhering the areas which will form the spacers to the adhesive areas on the substrate; and removing the areas to be removed from the photo etchable material, thereby leaving spacers adhered to said substrate at the adhesive areas.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said material is an amorphous photosensitive glass.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method according to claim 2 further comprising steps of exposing the glass to ultraviolet light and heat treating the glass to produce a metal colloid with crystalline nuclei of extremely fine structure, and wherein the removing step includes etching the glass with an etchant.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said removing step includes etching with an etchant that includes hydrofluoric acid (HF).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 2 further comprising heat treating said glass at a temperature in the range of from 500° to 600° C. for from 45 to 80 minutes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of adhering includes heating the substrate and adhesive areas to temperatures in the range of 480° C. to 525° C. for a time period in the range of about 2 hours.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the spacers have a length between 125 and 625 microns and a diameter between 12.5 and 50 microns.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said spacers have a substantially truncated conical configuration.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
87 words
A method comprising the steps of: forming a number of frit regions on a substrate; exposing a sheet of photoetchable glass to UV light through a mask such that the UV light exposes etchable areas and does not expose areas which will form spacer elements; heat treating the exposed etchable glass to crystallize the exposed areas; adhering the exposed and treated etchable glass to the substrate with the frit regions formed thereon; and etching the UV exposed areas such that spacers are adhered to the frit regions.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
87 words
A method comprising the steps of: forming a number of frit regions on a substrate; exposing a sheet of photoetchable glass to UV light through a mask such that the UV light exposes etchable areas and does not expose areas which will form spacer elements; heat treating the exposed etchable glass to crystallize the exposed areas; adhering the exposed and treated etchable glass to the substrate with the frit regions formed thereon; and etching the UV exposed areas such that spacers are adhered to the frit regions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the substrate is part of an anode screen, the method further including sealing a cathode to the anode screen such that the spacers extend from the substrate to the cathode, the method forming a flat panel display.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is one of an anode and a cathode for a field emission display device.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method according to claim 11, further comprising a step, after the removing step, of assembling the one of the anode and the cathode having the spacers adhered thereon with the other of the anode and the cathode such that the spacers extend from the anode to the cathode.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein the assembling step includes providing the anode and cathode in a closely spaced parallel arrangement and evacuating the space between the anode and the cathode.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein the anode has a glass face plate with phosphor formed thereon.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3424909A
Cited
US3990874A
Cited
US3979621A
Cited
US4091305A
Cited
US4183125A
Cited
US4451759A
Cited
US4705205A
Cited
US4940916A
Cited
US4940916B1
Cited
US4923421A
Cited
JPH02165540A
Cited
US5070282A
Cited
US5324602A
Cited
JPH03179630A
Cited
US5136764A
Cited
US5371433A
Cited
US5413513A
Cited
US5229691A
Cited
US5151061A
Cited
US5205770A
Cited
US5449970A
Cited
US5232549A
Cited
US5342737A
Cited
US5329207A
Cited
US5391259A
Cited
US5374868A
Cited
US5347292A
Cited
US5342477A
Cited
US5445550A
Cited
US5448131A
Cited
EP0690472A1
Cited
US5427648A
Cited
US5492234A
Cited
US5486126A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-01-05 | 2001-07-07 | 2002-01-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-01-05 | 2005-07-07 | 2006-01-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-01-05 | 2009-07-07 | 2010-01-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |