The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 02, 1999
Filed:
Mar. 18, 1997
Clifford O Morgan, Burlington, VT (US);
Matthew J Rutten, Milton, VT (US);
Erick G Walton, South Burlington, VT (US);
Terrance M Wright, Williston, VT (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A gas discharge illumination device is prepared by encapsulating ionizable gas within microporous or nanoscale sealed cavities created within a matrix material. Upon exposure of said matrix material to an electric field, the ionizable gas becomes ionized and emits light. By incorporating several different ionizable gases into one matrix material, a display with different colors of light can be produced. The gas discharge illumination device can be fabricated by a variety of techniques including selective cavity formation with overcoating taking place in an ionizable gas ambient, and bubbling ionizable gas through the matrix material while it is in viscous form. The gas discharge illumination device can be used to form either active or passive displays, as a sensor for detecting electric fields, and in other applications.