Candescent Technologies Corporation

Ceravision Technology Limited

Other

Florod Corporation

Floyd R Pothoven

Anthony John Cooper

Theodore S Fahlen

Paul N Ludwig

Igor L Maslennikov

Robert J Pressley

Zhengzhuo Zhou

Terry A Pothoven

Rodney L Waters

Anthony J Cooper

A visual has a multilayer ceramic substrate () with an emission layer () on its front face. The substrate is mounted on carrier () with a L-shaped cross-section, via the foot () of the L. A glass face plate () is on the top of the main limb () of the L. The face plate has a phosphor layer () on its inside surface. A succession () of vias and interconnects in the L provides connection from the substrate () to the phosphor layer. A band () of frit is screen printed onto the inside of the face plate, peripherally of phosphor layer. In a corresponding position on the top of the main limb, a groove () is formed. On assembly of the face plate to the carrier, the frit () fits into the groove (). The face plate abuts the top of the limb (), thereby defining the separation of the face plate and the emission substrate.

Visual display

The lamp consists of a hollow tubular body with a closed end and an open end The body is of sintered ceramic material. A window is sealed across the open end, the window and the body being united by a layer of frit The window is of sapphire. Within the body is sealed an inert gas atmosphere and a pellet charge of excitable material In use, the lamp is subjected to RF electromagnetic radiation which heats it to 1000&deg; C. causes it to emit visible light via the sapphire.

Method for manufacturing an electrodeless lamp

The apparatus for sealing face plates ( ) and cathodes ( ) has three stations ( ). The first ( ) is a preheater, the second ( ) is an alignment and irradiation station and the third ( ) is a controlled cooling station. Beneath each station, a vacuum pump ( ) capable of drawing ultralow pressures is provided. The preheater is equipped with upper and lower banks of radiant heaters and reflectors ( ). The upper heaters are Provided above a quartz: window ( ) of a chamber ( ) constituting the station. The pressure in the preheater is pumped down to that in the alignment and irradiation station prior to opening of the gate valve between them and transfer of the face plate and cathode. At the alignment and irradiation station, further heaters ( ) are provided. Those above the face plate and cathode, the face plate being uppermost, are mounted on frames ( ) about hinges ( ), whereby they can be swung up to clear this station's top quartz window, exposing the face plate to the view of an optical system ( ) and a laser ( ). Manipulation controls ( ) are provided for manipulating the position of the face plate to be pixel alignment, as measured by the optical system ( ), with the cathode. The laser is traversed around further. The cooling station ( ) has meanwhile been pumped down and the sealed device is transferred to it. The temperature of the device is allowed to rise very slowly, in order to reduce the risk of thermal cracking to as great an extent as possible. As the temperature slowly falls, air is slowly introduced, so that the finished device can be removed to the ambient surroundings.

A getter (50) situated in a cavity of a hollow structure (40-46), such as a flat-panel device, is activated by directing light energy locally through part of a hollow structure and onto the getter. The light energy is typically provided by a laser beam (60). The getter, typically of the non-evaporable type, is usually inserted as a single piece of gettering material into the cavity. The getter normally can be activated/re-activated multiple times in this manner, typically during the sealing of different parts of the structure together.

Local energy activation of getter typically in environment below room

A structure, such as a flat-panel device, is sealed together by a gap-jumping technique in which an edge (44S) of a wall (44) is positioned near a matching sealing area (40S) of a plate structure (40) such that a gap (48) at least partially separates the edge of the wall from the sealing area of the plate structure. The gap usually has an average height of 25 .mu.m or more. Energy is then transferred locally to material of the wall along the gap to cause material of the wall and the plate structure to bridge the gap and seal the plate structure to the wall. The energy-transferring step is typically performed with light energy provided by a laser (56). Local energy transfer can also be utilized to tack the plate structure to the wall at multiple spaced-apart locations (44A) along the wall. The tacking operation is typically performed as a preliminary step to sealing the plate structure to the wall.

Gap jumping to seal structure including tacking of structure

The gas enclosure of this laser includes a reservoir but no gas exhaust port--or valve leading to such a port or to ambient. Preferably the enclosure is sealed by an essentially permanent-type seal such as a glassblown seal, and connects with no pump, or valve leading to a pump. System life, in intermittent use or low-repetition-rate continuous use, is over a year without gas replenishment. Opposed metal coatings on the exterior of a discharge capillary tube form preionization electrodes, each extending nearly the entire capillary-tube length. These electrodes are energized to establish a transverse discharge inside the capillary tube, with good uniformity of initial ion density along the capillary tube. The electrodes couple to this discharge capacitively, through the capillary-tube wall, thereby isolating electrode materials against chemical reaction with corrosive gases in the system. Voltage applied longitudinally to internal electrodes, in chambers at the ends of the capillary, establishes the main discharge in this preformed ion population. Ionization uniformity permits lasing action to develop in good synchronism throughout the capillary-tube length, overcoming rapid self-quenching of the excimer to develop a laser pulse from nearly the entire capillary-tube volume.

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Bellflower, CA, United States of America

Floyd R Pothoven