Application of electrostatic bonding to field emission display vacuum packaging

Abstract

A tubeless packaging technology for field emission display (FED) devices is developed using indirect glass-to-glass electrostatic bonding with an intermediate amorphous silicon layer at a low temperature of 230 degrees C. The glass-to-glass bonding mechanism is investigated by secondary-ion mass spectroscopy. To evaluate the vacuum sealing capability of a FED panel packaged by this method, the leak characteristics of the vacuum were examined by spinning rotor gauge for 6 months and the electron emission properties of the panel was measured continuously for different amounts of time over a 26 day period. In order to examine the effect of the removal of the exhausting tube on the enhancement of vacuum efficiency, we have calculated a theoretical vacuum level in the panel based on conductance and throughput and compared with experimental values. (C) 2000 The Electrochemical Society. S0013-4651(99)09-091-6. All rights reserved.