US5902165A — Field emission device with over-etched gate diele…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 161 words

A method of fabricating an electron emitter plate, comprising the steps of: forming a cathode electrode on a substrate; forming an extraction electrode on said substrate; and forming an insulating spacer on said substrate between said extraction and cathode electrodes; forming a conductive mesh structure defining a plurality of mesh spacings on one of said cathode and extraction electrodes: forming a plurality of arrays of apertures in said extraction electrode, each aperture array being formed within a respective mesh spacing; forming a plurality of arrays of subcavities in said insulating spacer, the subcavities of each array being formed to be open to neighboring subcavities of the same array and to together define a main cavity, said main cavity of each array being located within a respective mesh spacing; and forming a plurality of arrays of microtips on said cathode structure, each microtip array being formed within a respective mesh spacing, and each microtip being formed within a respective aperture and subcavity.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 161 words

A method of fabricating an electron emitter plate, comprising the steps of: forming a cathode electrode on a substrate; forming an extraction electrode on said substrate; and forming an insulating spacer on said substrate between said extraction and cathode electrodes; forming a conductive mesh structure defining a plurality of mesh spacings on one of said cathode and extraction electrodes: forming a plurality of arrays of apertures in said extraction electrode, each aperture array being formed within a respective mesh spacing; forming a plurality of arrays of subcavities in said insulating spacer, the subcavities of each array being formed to be open to neighboring subcavities of the same array and to together define a main cavity, said main cavity of each array being located within a respective mesh spacing; and forming a plurality of arrays of microtips on said cathode structure, each microtip array being formed within a respective mesh spacing, and each microtip being formed within a respective aperture and subcavity.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 59 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said cathode said mesh structure is formed in said cathode electrode; and said extraction electrode is patterned to define pads located centrally within said mesh spacings of said cathode electrode mesh structure, and tracks electrically connecting said pads to neighboring pads; said arrays of apertures being formed on respective ones of said pads.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 62 words

The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of patterning said cathode mesh structure in stripes having multiple pluralities of said microtip arrays; and patterning said extraction electrode in cross-stripes having multiple pluralities of said aperture arrays; said stripes and cross-stripes being patterned to intersect at pixel-defining locations defined by aligned corresponding ones of said microtip array and aperture array pluralities.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 53 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said subcavity arrays are formed to provide each main cavity with a perimetric wall defined by extremities of outer ones of the subcavities of the corresponding subcavity array; and said extraction electrode is formed to be supported centrally of the associated mesh spacing by said perimetric wall.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method of claim 4, wherein said subcavity arrays are formed with subcavities arranged in rows and columns, and with subcavities of the same row open to subcavities in adjacent columns and subcavities of the same column open to subcavities of adjacent rows.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 51 words

The method of claim 5, wherein said subcavity arrays are further formed to define posts within each main cavity, said posts being located between diagonally-adjacent subcavities of different rows and columns; and wherein said extraction electrode is formed to be supported centrally of the associated mesh spacing also by said posts.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 62 words

A method of fabricating an image display device comprising the steps of fabricating an electron emitter plate as defined in claim 1; fabricating an anode plate by forming an anode electrode on another substrate, and depositing cathodoluminescent material in contact with said anode electrode on said another substrate; and fixing said anode plate in spaced position relative to said electron emitter plate.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 62 words

The method of fabricating an image display device of claim 7, wherein said cathode electrode includes said conductive mesh structure; and said extraction electrode is patterned to define pads located centrally within said mesh spacings of said cathode electrode mesh structure, and tracks electrically connecting said pads to neighboring pads; said arrays of apertures being formed on respective ones of said pads.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 68 words

The method of fabricating an image display device of claim 8, further comprising the steps of patterning said cathode mesh structure in stripes having multiple pluralities of said microtip arrays; and patterning said extraction electrode in cross-stripes having multiple pluralities of said aperture arrays; said stripes and cross-stripes being patterned to intersect at pixel-defining locations defined by aligned corresponding ones of said microtip array and aperture array pluralities.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 161 words

A method of fabricating an electron emitter plate, comprising the steps of: depositing a layer of conductive material on a substrate; patterning a mesh structure, defining mesh spacings, in the layer of conductive material; depositing a layer of resistive material on said substrate; patterning the layers of conductive and resistive material to form a pattern of stripes; depositing an insulative material over said patterned layers of conductive and resistive material; depositing another layer of conductive material over said layer of insulating material; forming pluralities of arrays of apertures in said another layer of conductive material; etching said layer of insulating material through said apertures to form pluralities of subcavities in respective alignments with and located beneath said apertures; said etching forming said subcavities of each array to be open to neighboring subcavities of the same array; depositing conductive tip forming material through said apertures to form pluralities of arrays of microtips, each microtip being formed with a respective aperture and subcavity.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 161 words

A method of fabricating an electron emitter plate, comprising the steps of: depositing a layer of conductive material on a substrate; patterning a mesh structure, defining mesh spacings, in the layer of conductive material; depositing a layer of resistive material on said substrate; patterning the layers of conductive and resistive material to form a pattern of stripes; depositing an insulative material over said patterned layers of conductive and resistive material; depositing another layer of conductive material over said layer of insulating material; forming pluralities of arrays of apertures in said another layer of conductive material; etching said layer of insulating material through said apertures to form pluralities of subcavities in respective alignments with and located beneath said apertures; said etching forming said subcavities of each array to be open to neighboring subcavities of the same array; depositing conductive tip forming material through said apertures to form pluralities of arrays of microtips, each microtip being formed with a respective aperture and subcavity.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 71 words

The method of claim 10, wherein said etching step comprises a first step of etching said layer of insulating material through said apertures to form pluralities of arrays of discrete cavities in respective alignments with said apertures prior to forming said microtips; and a second step of further etching said layer of insulating material through said apertures to etch away walls between said cavities, resulting in formation of enlarged overlapping subcavities.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 10, wherein said etching step comprises etching said layer of insulating material through said apertures to form pluralities of arrays of overlapping subcavities prior to forming said microtips.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 10, wherein said etching step is performed to provide openings between some adjacent ones of said subcavities and to leave posts between others adjacent ones of said subcavities.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 13, wherein said etching step is performed to provide openings between row-adjacent and column-adjacent ones of said subcavities, and to leave posts between diagonally-adjacent ones of said subcavities.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-05-10	2002-11-09	2003-05-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-05-10	2006-11-09	2007-05-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-05-10	2010-11-09	2011-05-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Field emission device with over-etched gate dielectric

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