Patent ID: 6033281
Filing Date: 2000-03-07
Classification: G09G,H01J

Abstract:
A testing device for testing a field emission flat panel display (FEFPD) during manufacture, the FEFPD having an array of selectively addressable pixels each adapted to emit an electronic current stream in response to an applied activation signal, the testing device comprising:an activation signal source;a vacuum chamber adapted to contain the electronic current stream of each activated pixel within a vacuum environment;an activation mechanism for individually applying the activation signal from the activation signal source to the pixels of the FEFPD; anda detector for detecting an emitted electronic current stream from the pixels and for generating an output signal representative of the emitted electronic current stream,wherein the detector is an electron detector adapted to generate an acceleration field for attracting electrons of the electronic current stream to the detector and comprises:a scintillator screen for generating photon emission in response to impingement of electrons from the electronic current screen;a photomultiplier tube for generating the output signal in proportion to the photon emission; anda light guide for conveying the photon emission from the scintillator screen to the photomultiplier tube, the light guide operating as a vacuum-tight feedthrough between exterior and interior portions of the vacuum chamber.