Micron Technology Incorporated

Terry N Williams

Kevin W Tjaden

J Brett Rolfson

Structures and methods are provided for shielding field emitter devices from radiation. In an embodiment, a shielding layer inhibits radiation from degrading field emitter devices while exerting a predetermined force upon the field emitter devices so as to restrain from damaging the structure or affecting performance of the devices. In an embodiment, the field emitter under the protection of the shielding layer sustains structural equilibrium. In an embodiment, the field emitter sustains structural elasticity. In an embodiment, the shielding layer is comprised of tetratantalum boride, which inhibits radiation from degrading field emitter devices while exerting a predetermined force upon the field emitter devices so as to restrain from damaging the structure or affecting performance of the devices. In other embodiments, the field emitter under the protection of the tetratantalum boride layer sustains structural equilibrium or structural elasticity.

Radiation shielding for field emitters

A field emission device comprises an emitter tip that is optionally formed from and integral with an emitter layer. The emitter tip has a base, an apex, and an exterior surface having a profile between the base and the apex. The profile has a continuous shape that extends from the base to the apex. The devices may be part of a flat panel display device that also includes a substrate, a cathode conductive layer disposed over the substrate, an array of emitter tips each formed from an emitter layer disposed over the substrate, a conductive gate structure disposed over the cathode conductive layer, an array of apertures formed through the conductive gate structure, and an anode panel for emitting light in response to electrons emitted from the array of emitter tips.

Buffered resist profile etch of a field emission device structure

Structures and methods are provided for shielding field emitter devices from radiation. In one exemplary embodiment, a shielding layer inhibits radiation from degrading field emitter devices while exerting a predetermined force upon the field emitter devices so as to restrain from damaging the structure of the devices or affect the devices' electronic or electrical performance. In another exemplary embodiment, the field emitter under the protection of the shielding layer is capable of sustaining structural equilibrium. In yet another embodiment, the field emitter is capable of sustaining structural elasticity. In a further embodiment, the shielding layer may be comprised of tetratantalum boride; this compound inhibits radiation from degrading field emitter devices while exerting a predetermined force upon the field emitter devices so as to restrain from damaging the structure of the devices or affect the devices electronic or electrical performance; in another embodiment, the field emitter under the protection of the tetratantalum boride layer is capable of sustaining structural equilibrium; in another embodiment, the field emitter is capable of sustaining structural elasticity under the protection of the tetratantalum boride layer.

A field emission display having a base plate which has a focus ring structure substantially planar with the extraction grid. The field emission display base plate is fabricated on a substrate having a cathode including an. emitter tip formed thereon by depositing a first insulating layer, a first conductive layer over the first insulating layer, etching the first conductive layer, depositing a second insulating layer over the etched first conductive layer, and depositing a second conductive or focus ring layer over the second insulating layer. A second selective etching may be formed to further define the gate and focus ring structures.

Composite self-aligned extraction grid and in-plane focusing ring, and method of manufacture

A field emission display having a base plate which has a focus ring structure substantially planar with the extraction grid. The field emission display base plate is fabricated on a substrate having a cathode including an emitter tip formed thereon by depositing a first insulating layer, a first conductive layer over the first insulating layer, etching the first conductive layer, depositing a second insulating layer over the etched first conductive layer, and depositing a second conductive or focus ring layer over the second insulating layer. A second selective etching may be formed to further define the gate and focus ring structures.

A method for forming an emitter tip for use in a field emission device. An emitter layer is provided over a substrate. The emitter layer is overlaid with a blanket dielectric which is in turn overlaid by a masking layer. In a first etching operation, a masking island and an underlying dielectric island are formed from the masking layer and the blanket dielectric, respectively. These islands serve as a masking structure during subsequent etching processes by which an emitter tip is formed from the emitter layer. Accordingly, a second etching operation is conducted, whereby an etch chemistry which exhibits both isotropic and anisotropic characteristics is used to remove a portion of the emitter layer by undercutting beneath the masking structure. A third etching operation is conducted, wherein the etch chemistry is substantially more anisotropic than the etch chemistry of the second etching operation. The second and third etches mobilize a portion of the masking layer and form an emitter tip from the emitter layer. The emitter tip has a substantially rectilinear vertical profile.

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Boise, ID, United States of America

Terry N Williams