Abstract:
A display includes a baseplate and an emitter formed on the baseplate. The display also includes a faceplate having a cathodoluminescent coating on a surface facing the baseplate and the emitter. A plurality of spacers separate the faceplate and the baseplate to prevent bowing of the faceplate or the baseplate towards each other. The spacers are formed from silicon, simplifying field emission device assembly and resulting in a superior display.

Description:
GOVERNMENT RIGHTS 
     This invention was made with government support under Contract No. DABT63-93-C-0025 awarded by Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA). The government has certain rights in this invention. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates in general to visual displays for electronic devices and in particular to improved spacers for field emission displays. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 is a simplified side cross-sectional view of a portion of a field emission display  10  including a faceplate  18  and a baseplate  20  in accordance with the prior art. FIG. 1 is not drawn to scale. The faceplate  18  includes a transparent viewing screen  22 , an antireflective layer  23 , a transparent conductive layer  24  and a cathodoluminescent layer  26 . The transparent viewing screen  22  supports the layers  23 ,  24  and  26 , acts as a viewing surface and as a wall for a hermetically sealed package formed between the viewing screen  22  and the baseplate  20 . The viewing screen  22  may be formed from glass. The antireflective layer  23  may be formed from Si 3 N 4  having a thickness of 900 Angstroms. The transparent conductive layer  24  may be formed from indium tin oxide. The cathodoluminescent layer  26  may be segmented into localized portions that are separated from each other within openings in a grille  28  of light-absorbing, opaque material formed on the antireflective layer  23 . The light absorption and opacity of the grille  28  increases the contrast of the faceplate  18 . The grille  28  is formed by conventional patterning of a layer of material such as silicon, cobalt oxide, manganese oxide or chromium oxide. 
     In a conventional monochrome display  10 , each localized portion of the cathodoluminescent layer  26  forms one pixel of the display  10 . Also, in a conventional color display  10 , each localized portion of the cathodoluminescent layer  26  forms a primary color such as a green, red or blue sub-pixel of the display  10 . Materials useful as cathodoluminescent materials in the cathodoluminescent layer  26  include Y 2 O 3 :Eu (red, phosphor P-56), Y 3 (Al, Ga) 5 O 12 :Tb (green, phosphor P-53) and Y 2 (SiO 5 ):Ce (blue, phosphor P-47) available from Osram Sylvania of Towanda Pa. or from Nichia of Japan. 
     The baseplate  20  includes emitters  30  formed on a planar surface of a substrate  32 , which may be formed from glass having a layer of silicon formed on it. The baseplate  20  is coated with a dielectric layer  34 . In one embodiment, this is effected by deposition of silicon dioxide via a conventional TEOS process. The dielectric layer  34  is formed to have a thickness that is approximately equal to or just less than a height of the emitters  30 . This thickness is on the order of 0.4 microns, although greater or lesser thicknesses may be employed. A conductive extraction grid  38  is formed on the dielectric layer  34 . The extraction grid  38  may be formed, for example, as a thin layer of polysilicon. The radius of an opening  40  created in the extraction grid  38 , which is also approximately the separation of the extraction grid  38  from the tip of the emitter  30 , is about 0.4 microns, although larger or smaller openings  40  may also be employed. 
     In operation, the extraction grid  38  is biased to a voltage on the order of 100 volts, although higher or lower voltages may be used, while the baseplate  32  is maintained at a voltage of about zero volts. Signals coupled to the emitter  30  allow electrons to flow to the emitter  30 . Intense electrical fields between the emitter  30  and the extraction grid  38  cause field emission of electrons from the emitter  30  in response to the signals impressed on the emitter  30 . 
     An anode voltage V A , ranging up to as much as 5,000 volts or more but often 2,500 volts or less, is applied to the faceplate  18  via the transparent conductive layer  24 . The electrons emitted from the emitter  30  are accelerated to the faceplate  18  by the anode voltage V A  and strike the cathodoluminescent layer  26 . The electron bombardment causes light emission in selected areas, i.e., those areas adjacent to where the emitters  30  are emitting, and forms luminous images such as text, pictures and the like. 
     A gap separating the faceplate  18  and the baseplate  20  of the conventional field emission display  10  is relatively small, on the order of one thousandth of an inch or twenty-five microns per 100 volts of anode voltage V A . Too large a gap leads to spreading of the emitted electrons and thus to defocusing or blurring of luminous images formed on the faceplate  18 . Too small a gap leads to catastrophic failure of the display  10  due to arcing between the faceplate  18  and the baseplate  20 . The gap must be evacuated in order for electrons to travel from the emitters  30  to the faceplate  18 . As a result, atmospheric pressure is exerted on the faceplate  18  and the baseplate  20  that forces the baseplate  20  and the faceplate  18  toward each other. 
     In relatively small displays  10 , such as those having a diagonal measurement of an inch or less, the pressure on the faceplate  18  does not cause significant bowing of the faceplate  18 . In larger displays  10 , however, the faceplate  18  tends to bow towards the baseplate  20 , and the baseplate  20  also bows towards the faceplate  18 . In a display  10  having a diagonal measurement of thirty inches, the force compressing the baseplate  20  and the faceplate  18  together is several tons. The bowing is exaggerated because of need to keep the faceplate  18  and the baseplate  20  light and thus to make them as thin as is practicable. Bowing leads to non-uniform spacing between the faceplate  18  and the baseplate  20 , causing focusing and intensity variations and thereby degrading images formed on the faceplate  18 . As a result, spacers  62  are incorporated between the faceplate  18  and the baseplate  20 . 
     The spacers  62  typically are formed from glass and have a width of 25 to 250 micrometers. The spacers  62  typically extend from the baseplate  20  to the faceplate  18  and thus have a height that is similar to the spacing separating the faceplate  18  from the baseplate  20 , in the range of 0.2 to 1 mm. In relatively small displays  10 , the transparent viewing screen  22  may be formed from glass having a thickness of about 1.1 mm. In such displays  10 , spacers  62  are needed about every fifteen mm. in order to provide adequate support for the faceplate  18 , but the spacers  62  may be separated by smaller distances. The spacers  62  typically are positioned to contact the faceplate  18  in areas that are opaque due to the grille  28  in order to avoid interfering with images formed on the display  10 . 
     Spacers  62  tend to be made from insulating materials because the large voltage applied to the transparent conductive layer  24  otherwise causes arcing between the baseplate  20  and the faceplate  18 . Additionally, other techniques that might be tried are either impractical or unworkable for a variety of reasons. For example, forming reverse-biased diodes (not illustrated) on the baseplate  32  and placing conductive spacers  32  on the reverse-biased diodes is impractical, because the materials requirements for such diodes are not compatible with other requirements for the baseplate  32 . 
     Typically, the spacers  62  are made from glass or ceramic. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,717,287, entitled “Spacers For A Flat Panel Display And Method,” issued to Amrine et al., the spacers  62  can cause problems in the display  10 . When the spacers  62  are affixed to the faceplate  18  using organic glue, the glue can chemically decompose, causing contamination of the evacuated interior of the display  10 . Alternatively, the glue can exhibit mechanical failure, causing the spacers  62  to become detached and misplaced in the interior of the display  10 . Affixation of glass spacers  62  to the faceplate  18  using glass frit results in a brittle bond that is subject to mechanical failure and that may cause particulate contamination within the display  10 . Additionally, use of a jig to facilitate correct placement of the spacers  62  on the faceplate  18  is laborious and may be unreliable. 
     What is needed is a way to simplify formation and accurate placement of spacers in field emission displays and to provide more robust spacers for use in field emission displays. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a field emission display includes a spacer formed from silicon that prevents significant faceplate or baseplate bowing. In one aspect, the spacer is formed in situ on the faceplate after deposition of other faceplate components by anodic bonding of a silicon wafer to a glass layer that has been formed on the faceplate. Portions of the silicon wafer that are not needed for the spacer are removed by directional etching processes. In one aspect, the spacer also forms a diode that is reverse biased by voltages applied to the faceplate to accelerate electrons towards the faceplate. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a simplified side cross-sectional view of a portion of a field emission display including a spacer, according to the prior art. 
     FIG. 2 is a simplified side cross-sectional view of a portion of a field emission display including a spacer, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a simplified side cross-sectional view of a portion of a faceplate at one stage in fabrication, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a simplified side cross-sectional view of the faceplate of FIG. 3 at a later stage in fabrication, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a simplified side cross-sectional view of the faceplate of FIG. 4 at a later stage in fabrication, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a simplified side cross-sectional view of the faceplate of FIG. 5, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a simplified plan view of a portion of the faceplate of FIG. 6 including spacers of arbitrary geometry, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a simplified plan view of a portion of a faceplate including spacers and an insulating layer surrounding an area where the spacer contacts the faceplate, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 is a simplified block diagram of a computer including a field emission display using the focusing electrode, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 2 is a simplified side cross-sectional view of a portion of a field emission display  10 ′ including a spacer  62 ′, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is not drawn to scale. Many of the components used in the field emission display  10 ′ shown in FIG. 2 are identical to components used in the field emission display  10  of FIG.  1 . Therefore, in the interest of brevity, these components have been provided with the same reference numerals, and an explanation of them will not be repeated. 
     In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the spacer  62 ′ may be formed from silicon. In one embodiment, an insulating layer  64  positioned at the end of the spacer  62 ′ is formed from spin-on glass. In one embodiment, the insulating layer  64  has a thickness in excess of two microns. A layer  66  may be included between the insulating layer  64  and the transparent conductive layer  24 . In one embodiment, the layer  66  is formed from conventional polycrystalline silicon. In another embodiment, a conventional layer of metal, such as aluminum, nickel or other metal, forms the layer  66 . The layer  66  is used to protect the transparent conductive layer  24  from chemical attack at a later stage in fabrication when the insulating layer  64  is etched. In one embodiment, the spacer  62  may be conductive and attached to the insulating layer  64  through a process of anodic bonding, as described below. 
     FIG. 3 is a simplified side cross-sectional view of a portion of a faceplate at one stage in fabrication, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The grille  28  has previously been fabricated on the transparent viewing screen  22  using conventional photolithography and deposition techniques. The transparent conductive layer  24  has previously been fabricated on the transparent viewing screen  22  and the grille  28  using conventional deposition techniques. 
     The layer  66  has previously been fabricated of polycrystalline silicon or metal using conventional deposition techniques. The insulating layer  64  may be formed using spin-on-glass (e.g., TEOS and a sodium or potassium salt dissolved in ethanol), as described in “Silicon-Silicon Anodic-Bonding With Intermediate Glass Layers Using Spin-On Glasses,” by H. J. Quenzer et al. (Proc. Ninth Annual Int. Workshop on Micro Electro Mech. Sys., IEEE Cat. No. 96CH35856 (Feb. 11-15, 1996), pp. 272-267.). Alternatively, the insulating layer  64  may be formed by sputtering, as described in “Field-Assisted Bonding Below 200° C. Using Metal And Glass Thin-Film Interlayers,” by W. Y. Lee et al. (App. Phys. Lett., Vol. 59, No. 9 (1987), pp. 522-524.). In another embodiment, the insulating layer  64  may be formed using other conventional processes, such as electron beam evaporation. In one embodiment, the insulating layer  64  may be planarized and smoothed using conventional chemical-mechanical polishing. 
     FIG. 4 is a simplified side cross-sectional view of the faceplate of FIG. 3 at a later stage in fabrication, according to an embodiment of the present invention. A silicon wafer  67  having one metallized surface  68  is placed to have another surface  70  in intimate contact with the insulating layer  64  to form a composite assembly  72 . A voltage source  74  has a negative lead coupled to the transparent conductive layer  24  and to the layer  66 . A positive lead of the voltage source  74  is coupled to the metallized surface  68 . In one embodiment, the metallized surface  68  forms an ohmic contact with the silicon wafer  67 . In another embodiment, the metallized surface forms a Schottky contact with n-type silicon forming the silicon wafer  67 . The composite assembly  72  is heated and a voltage of several hundred volts is supplied by the voltage source  74  to anodically bond the silicon wafer  67  to the insulating layer  64 . 
     Anodic bonding is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,397,278, entitled “Anodic Bonding,” issued to D. I. Pomerantz, and in “Field Assisted Glass-Metal Sealing,” by G. Wallis et al. (Jour. App. Phys., Vol. 40, No. 10 (September 1969), pp. 3946-3949.). Anodic bonding of silicon to an insulating layer is described in “Anodic Bonding Technique For Silicon-to-ITO Coated Glass Bonding,” by W.-B. Choi et al. (Proc. Soc. Phot. Opt. Inst. Eng., Vol. 3046 (1997), pp. 336-341.). Selection of glass composition for the insulating layer  64  to provide temperature coefficient of expansion matching to the silicon wafer  67  and to allow room-temperature anodic bonding is discussed in “Low-Temperature Silicon-to-Silicon Anodic Bonding With Intermediate Low Melting Point Glass,” by M. Esashi et al. (Sensors and Actuators, A21-A23 (1990), pp. 931-934.). Significantly, anodic bonding provides bonds having superior mechanical strength and does not introduce additional materials that can result in contamination of the interior of the field emission display  10 ′. 
     FIG. 5 is a simplified side cross-sectional view of the faceplate of FIG. 4 at a later stage in fabrication, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The metallization on the surface  68  (FIG. 4) has been stripped using conventional etching techniques and a hard mask  76  is formed from a material such as SiO 2  deposited by conventional TEOS or Si 3 N 4  deposited by conventional PECVD. The hard mask  76  is patterned using conventional photolithographic techniques. 
     FIG. 6 is a simplified side cross-sectional view of the faceplate of FIG. 5 at a later stage in fabrication, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Reactive ion etching is used to anisotropically etch the silicon wafer  67  (FIGS.  4  and  5 ), leaving the spacers  62 ′. Anisotropic etching is discussed in “Reactive Ion Etching For High Aspect Ratio Silicon Micromachining,” by I. W. Rangelow (Surf. and Coatings Tech. 97 (1997), pp. 140-150.). Reactive ion etchers capable of etching &gt;300 microns of silicon at an etch rate of 3 microns a minute using positive photoresist or a hard mask are available from Surface Technology Systems USA, Inc., 611 Veterans Boulevard, Suite 107, Redwood City, Calif. 94063. 
     In one embodiment, the spacers  62 ′ are formed from silicon having a dopant concentration of about 2×10 14 /cm 3  or less to realize an avalanche breakdown voltage of in excess of 1,000 volts, and in any case a dopant concentration of 7×10 4 /cm 3  or less to realize an avalanche breakdown voltage of in excess of 400 volts. In one embodiment, a cathode of the spacer  62 ′ is coupled to the faceplate  18 ′. In one embodiment, the cathode is formed as a Schottky contact with the faceplate  18 ′. In one embodiment, an anode is formed by doping the portion of the spacer  62 ′ that will contact the baseplate  20  with acceptors. In one embodiment, the spacer  62 ′ is formed from intrinsic silicon in order to realize a high resistivity. Gold doping may be used to reduce mobile charge carrier concentrations in the spacer  62 ′. In one embodiment, the spacer  62 ′ is formed from polycrystalline silicon. In one embodiment, the spacer  62 ′ is formed as a diode having a carrier concentration such that a depletion region in the diode extends along most of the length of the spacer from the faceplate  18 ′ to the baseplate  20  when the anode voltage V A  is applied to the faceplate  18 ′. 
     It will be appreciated that spacers  62 ′ that include diodes may be formed in a variety of different ways, and may have a p-n junction that may be placed anywhere along the height of the spacer  62 ′ by suitable choice of doping levels and other conventional diode parameters. It will also be appreciated that a Schottky junction may be formed at either end of the spacer  62 ′ by appropriate choice of conductivity type for the spacer  62 ′. In one embodiment, the spacer  62 ′ is coated with a conventional passivation layer (not shown). In one embodiment, respective ends of the spacer  62 ′ are coupled to conventional conductors (not shown) formed on the faceplate  18 ′ and on the baseplate  20 . In one embodiment, ends of the spacers  62 ′ corresponding to the anodes shown in FIG. 6 couple to bumps of soft conductive material (not shown) formed on the baseplate  20 . 
     FIG. 7 is a simplified plan view of a portion of the faceplate of FIG. 6 including spacers  62 ′ of arbitrary geometry, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment, a faceplate for a display  10 ′ having XGA resolution includes an array of approximately 1024 by 768 pixels formed from cathodoluminescent layers  26 . In this type of display  10 ′, each pixel is about 60 microns by 180 microns, providing a faceplate having a display area of 9.65 inches by 7.28 inches. The cathodoluminescent layer  26  may be formed using a resist formed from polyvinyl alcohol and an ammonium dichromate sensitizer. The resist may be deposited and patterned after the spacers  62 ′ are formed. The insulating layer  64  may then be etched, for example with a buffered oxide etch containing hydrofluoric acid. The layer  66  may be etched using conventional etching processes. Isopropyl alcohol may be used as a carrier medium to selectively deposit the cathodoluminescent layer  26 , using the transparent conductive layer  24  as one electrode in a conventional electrophoretic deposition process. Fabrication of the field emission display  10 ′ is subsequently completed via conventional fabrication steps. 
     FIG. 8 is a simplified plan view of a portion of a faceplate  18 ′ including spacers  62 ′ and an insulating layer  64  surrounding an area where the spacer  62 ′ contacts the faceplate  18 ′, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The insulating layer  64  is formed to have a thickness sufficient to withstand the anode voltage V A , and is patterned to provide an area surrounding the spacer  62 ′ that is wide enough to prevent arcing from the spacer  62 ′ to the transparent conductive layer  24 , i.e., having a width comparable to the height of the spacer  62 ′. For example, for a glass having a breakdown field strength of 1.4×10 5  volts/cm. to withstand an anode voltage V A  of 500 volts, an insulating layer  64  having a thickness of about forty required. 
     In one embodiment, the pixels  26  are formed of cathodoluminescent materials chosen to emit different colors of light when bombarded by electrons. For example, the lower left and upper right pixels  26  may include phosphor P-56 and emit red light. The upper left pixel  26  may include phosphor P-53 and emit green light, and the lower right pixel  26  may include phosphor P-47 and emit blue light. 
     FIG. 9 is a simplified block diagram of a portion of a computer  100  including the field emission display  10 ′ having the spacer  62 ′ as described with reference to FIGS. 2 through 8 and associated text. The computer  100  includes a central processing unit  102  coupled via a bus  104  to a memory  106 , function circuitry  108 , a user input interface  110  and the field emission display  10 ′ including the spacer  62 ′, according to the embodiments of the present invention. The memory  106  may or may not include a memory management module (not illustrated) and does include ROM for storing instructions providing an operating system and a read-write memory for temporary storage of data. The processor  102  operates on data from the memory  106  in response to input data from the user input interface  110  and displays results on the field emission display  10 ′. The processor  102  also stores data in the read-write portion of the memory  106 . Examples of systems where the computer  100  or the display  10 ′ finds application include personal/portable computers, camcorders, televisions, automobile electronic systems, microwave ovens and other home and industrial appliances. 
     Field emission displays  10 ′ for such applications provide significant advantages over other types of displays, including reduced power consumption, improved range of viewing angles, better performance over a wider range of ambient lighting conditions and temperatures and higher speed with which the display can respond. Field emission displays find application in most devices where, for example, liquid crystal displays find application. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to various embodiments, the invention is not limited to these embodiments. Rather, the invention is limited only by the appended claims, which include within their scope all equivalent devices or methods which operate according to the principles of the invention as described.