Fabrication of triode-type field emission displays with high-density carbon-nanotube emitter arrays

Triode-type carbon-nanotube field emission displays (CNT-FEDs) with the 5". diagonal were fabricated using screen printing as well as thin film processing. We developed a photosensitive paste including single walled CNTs for screen printing. CNT emitter dots with the diameter of 5 mum were defined inside gate holes with a diameter of 10 mum by screen printing the CNT paste and a subsequent backside photolithography. CNTs were exposed to erect on the surface by development, serving as electron emitters. A thick Ni wall structure was electroplated just above gate electrodes to suppress diode emission caused by an anode potential and to improve focusing of electron beams. An onset gate voltage for emission was as low as 40-45 V. Under an optimum design of a FED panel, R, G, B colors were satisfactorily separated. Our vacuum-sealed CNT-FED demonstrated full color moving images with high brightness and good color purity at a video-speed operation. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.