Sony/FET/Candescent/Carbon coating/APNT

Just getting up to speed on Candescent-Sony to see if and when and how they will need our (APNT) IP or not - in this case they put a carbon coat on the conical metal emitters to reduce the work function (does Raman apply?):

United States Patent Application 20010000163
Kind Code A1
Xu, Xueping ; et al. April 5, 2001

Fabrication of electron emitters coated with material such as carbon

Abstract

A cathode structure suitable for a flat panel display is provided with coated emitters. The emitters are formed with material, typically nickel, capable of growing to a high aspect ratio. These emitters are then coated with carbon containing material for improving the chemical robustness and reducing the work function. One coating process is a DC plasma deposition process in which acetylene is pumped through a DC plasma reactor to create a DC plasma for coating the cathode structure. An alternative coating process is to electrically deposit raw carbon-based material onto the surface of the emitters, and subsequently reduce the raw carbon-based material to the carbon containing material. Work function of coated emitters is typically reduced by about 0.8 to 1.0 eV.

Inventors: Xu, Xueping; (Stamford, CT) ; Brandes, George R.; (Danbury, CT) ; Spindt, Christopher J.; (Menlo Park, CA) ; Stanners, Colin D.; (San Jose, CA) ; Macaulay, John M.; (Mountain View, CA)

Serial No.: 727023
Series Code: 09
Filed: November 29, 2000

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A structure comprising: a sub-structure; a plurality of electron emitters situated over said sub-structure, each emitter comprising electrically non-insulating material chosen from nickel, palladium, platinum, tantalum, titanium, rhodium, chromium, and vanadium; and a carbon-containing layer coated over each of said electron emitters.

Does Raman apply?

Likely, IMHHO.

BTW, Candescent is the assignee as noted in a corresponding USP.

I suppose, being reasonable, that we will likely wait for a call from Sony after Sony does their infringement search to see what IP, if any (OURS - APNT's!!), they will infringe and need licenses under when they get product for sale to avoid lengthy, expensive and a nasty court case. That would be expected to be avoided at all costs. However, our track record to date is more nasty than reasonable. I guess a wee talk with Sony early on would not be reasonable. Eh? We'll just leave it to them and expect them to do the reasonable and honourable thing.

So they seem keen to reduce the work function!! Goodness gracious. Carbon coatings, nanotubes, what's next? R&K beware.