Five inch full color field emission displays with narrow gap studies

Abstract

Electron beam spreading and emission current density for different shapes of microtips with bias levels are simulated for the application of high voltage or low voltage phosphors. In the simulation, the morphology of micro tips and the structural parameters of a field emission display (FED) panel are optimized in the direction of enhancing panel brightness as well as avoiding cross talk between pixels. Field emitter arrays with the optimized shape of microtips were fabricated for the application to real devices. Three different technologies for phosphor screening, electrophoresis, printing, and slurry methods, are evaluated in terms of white color coordination of screened phosphor plates in a FED panel level, leading to the selection of the best screening process for FEDs. The charging effect of phosphor surface seems to have an effect on the luminance properties of phosphors, which can be suppressed with a drive circuitry in the real FED operation. It is observed that electron beam irradiation triggers serious outgassing from the phosphor surface in the narrow gap, necessitating the application of getters to absorb the outgassed molecules. Residual gases inside a panel are analyzed with the adoption of evaporable and nonevaporable getters. A 5 in. diagonal full color image is successfully demonstrated with a resultant brightness of 80 cd/m2.