Interconnect for use in flat panel display

Abstract

An interconnect for use in a field emission flat panel display device for providing an electrical interconnect between a bond pad 42 on the anode plate 10 and an electrically conductive region 44 on the emitter plate 12 comprises an electrically conductive protuberance 40 attached to region 44 which extends above the surface of region 44 to such a height that when emitter plate 12 and anode plate 10 are assembled at their intended relative positions and spaced from one another at a prescribed distance, structure 40 is forced into compression against the surface of region 42. In one embodiment, gold wire bonds 52 and 56 are attached to bonding pads 64 and 66 on opposing surfaces of anode plate 10 and emitter plate 12, respectively. Bonds 52 and 56 are compressed against one another when plates 10 and 12 are assembled, causing them to be deformed into generally spheroid shapes, the contact between them providing a reliable, low resistivity interconnect between their respective bond pads 64 and 66. Protuberance 56 may comprise a solid spherical or cylindrical structure of a compliant metal, or it may comprise a 'fuzz-button.' In another embodiment, one of the plates includes plural, closely spaced protuberances 74 and the other plate includes one protuberance 76, thus aiding in the proper alignment of the emitter and anode plates 12,10.