Patent ID: 7733003

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a rear plate having a pair of device electrodes, an electron-emitting device being put between the pair of device electrodes, and a row wiring electrically connected to one electrode of the pair of device electrodes and applied with a first electric potential and a column wiring, intersecting the row wiring, electrically connected to the other electrode of the pair of device electrodes and applied with a second electric potential that is higher than the first electric potential; a face plate having an image displaying member irradiated with the electrons emitted from the electron-emitting device, wherein the rear plate and the face plate are arranged opposing to each other with a space maintained at a high vacuum in between, and the face plate is applied with a third electric potential that is higher than the second electric potential; and a deflector, including the pair of the device electrodes, the column wiring, the row wiring and the face plate, which deflects the electrons emitted from the electron-emitting device with an electric field generated in the space by the first, second, and third electric potentials; wherein the column wiring has, on its surface, a recess for trapping at least Ar gas existing in the space, wherein the recess has a pair of side faces having a sheer portion respectively, and a bottom face between the side faces, and has a depth in the range from several μms to several tens of μms, wherein the side faces and the bottom face are exposed to the space maintained at the high vacuum, wherein the deflector moves the electrons emitted from the electron-emitting device to a position right above the recess, and a portion of the image displaying member located right above the recess is irradiated by the electrons emitted from the electron-emitting device.