Electronic fluorescent display system with simplified multiple electrode structure and its processing

Claim 1

A cathodoluminescent visual display device having a plurality of pixel dots for displaying images when said device is viewed in a viewing direction, comprising: a housing defining a chamber therein, said housing having a face plate, and a back plate; an anode on or near said face plate; luminescent means that emits light in response to electrons, and that is on or adjacent to the anode; at least one cathode in the chamber between the face and back plates; a spacer structure defining holes therein for passage of electrons, said spacer structure comprising a plurality of spacer layers attached to form a unitary spacer structure; at least a first and a second set of elongated grid electrodes between the anode and cathode and separated by at least one of said spacer layers, the electrodes in one of the first and second sets overlapping the luminescent means and grid electrodes in the other set at points when viewed in the viewing direction, wherein the overlapping points define pixel dots; wherein one of the first and second sets of grid electrodes comprises a layer of an electrically conductive material on surfaces within the holes of the spacer structure; means for causing the cathode to emit electrons; and means for applying electrical potentials to the anode, cathode and the two or more sets of grid electrodes, causing the electrons emitted by the cathode to travel to the luminescent means at the pixel dots on or adjacent to the anode for displaying images, said electrical potentials applying means applying such potentials to the layer on the surfaces within the holes that electrons passing there through are focused onto selected pixel dots, wherein each of the holes of the spacer structure contains only one integral layer of electrically conductive material.