U.S. Philips Corporation

Gerhard H DEVries

Jean H Lorteije

Geert Warrink

Jacques A Hulshof

A method of manufacturing an electric discharge device comprising a pattern of electrodes bonded to a glass substrate. It is necessary for certain gas discharge display devices to use metal electrodes which are at least 20 .mu.m thick and adhere satisfactorily to a glass substrate. A metal foil is placed on a glass substrate 2, and this assembly is heated to a temperature T.sub.1 which is below the melting-point of the metal of the foil and at which the viscosity of the glass of the substrate is in the range from 10.sup.7 to 10.sup.3 Pas. The foil is pressed uniformly against the substrate at the temperature T.sub.1 for a time which is sufficient to produce uniform contact between the foil and the substrate. The foil is then bonded to the substrate by an anodic bonding process, and the desired electrode pattern is produced by locally removing metal from the foil.

Method of manufacturing an electric discharge device

In a method of manufacturing an electric discharge device having a pattern of electrodes impressed in a glass plate, the starting material for the manufacture of the pattern of electrodes is a metal foil which has a relief pattern. The relief pattern comprises thick portions which are connected together by thin portions of the foil and in which the thick portions constitute the desired pattern of electrodes. At a temperature T.sub.1 which is lower than the melting-point of the metal of the foil and in which the glass of the glass plate has a viscosity of approx. 10.sup.7 to 10.sup.13 Pa.sec., the surface of the metal foil comprising the relief is impressed in the glass plate. After cooling, the desired pattern of electrodes is obtained by etching away the thin portions of the foil. In order to improve the adhesion, the metal foil can be rigidly adhered to the glass plate by means of an anodic bonding process prior to etching away the thin portions. The invention is particularly suitable for use in the manufacture of gas discharge display panels.

Method of manufacturing an electric discharge device comprising a glass

In a matrix of display elements arranged in rows and columns having row scanning and column selection, all display elements which are connected to a scanned row conductor are always ignited such that the non-selected display elements of that row receive a low quiescent current through quiescent current supply circuits in the column selection circuits and the selected display elements receive a higher display current through selection circuits in the column selection circuits. The low quiescent currents reduce the ignition-voltage required for the next following row to be scanned while a high contrast is produced between the selected and non-selected display elements.

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Eindhoven, Netherlands

Gerhard H DEVries