Patent ID: 7312580

Claim:
A method of reducing charge accumulation in a field emission display including a cathode plate having a plurality of electron emitters, an anode plate disposed to receive electrons emitted by the plurality of electron emitters, and a plurality of spacers positioned between the cathode plate and the anode plate, the method comprising: during a scanning mode: applying an anode voltage in the range of 5,000 to 15,000 volts to the anode plate for attracting electrons from the electron emitters; and maintaining a positive charge on the plurality of spacers comprising a material that maintains a positive charge by having a total electron emission coefficient higher than one at the anode voltage in the range of 5,000 to 15,000 volts, where one or more electrons depart each spacer for each electron striking the spacer; and during a discharge mode: reducing the anode voltage; and extracting electrons from the plurality of electron emitters to strike the plurality of spacers; and thereby neutralizing the positive charge on the plurality of spacers.