Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, As Represented by the Minister

Joseph Guy Dionne

Graham Olive

Royston Ernest Lake

William G Thistle

A large area visual display matrix of ultra-violet initiated individual small gas discharge elements. Each element remains in a discharge condition until the voltage applied to a common anode is turned off and for this reason the matrix requires no associated memory or storage property to remain on as long as information is to be displayed. The matrix generally comprises, in order, an electrically conductive cathode with a low work function material photo-emissive coated thereon which emits electrons when irradiated by U.V. light, an insulating medium with apertures therein, individual anodes with holes therein the holes being axially aligned with the apertures in the insulating medium, a voltage supply for each anode, the foregoing elements being sandwiched between a base and a U.V. permeable cover, and a suitable gas filling for the apertures. A source of U.V. light is directed at the portion of the visual display it is desired to illuminate.

Ultra violet initiated gas discharge visual display matrix

A photoconductor-switched electroluminescent matrix panel for use in a laser-addressed tactical data display system in which photoconductor elements on the back of a screen are connected in series with electroluminescent display and feedback elements which form the front of the screen and an a-c power supply. The photoconductor has a high dark impedance so that in the initial OFF position insufficient a-c power passes through the electroluminescent elements to cause significant light emission. When the photoconductor is illuminated with a light pulse from a scanning laser beam, the impedance drops sharply so that substantially all of the a-c supply voltage is received by the electroluminescent element thereby causing the element to luminesce. The photoconductivity persists long enough for the electroluminescent emission to build up and sustain the low photoconductor impedance via optical feedback. This ON condition is maintained until the power to the device is interrupted for an erase period long enough for the photoconductivity to decay.

Growing community of inventors

Ottawa, Canada

Joseph Guy Dionne