Sony-FET FEDs

17 are the Spindt tips >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Click pics for enlarged view

21 are the CNTs

I looked Sony's US patents up and found this US patent 7,329,978 :
[SNIPS]
Specifically, the carbon-nanotube structure includes a carbon-nanotube and/or a carbon-nanofiber. More specifically, the electron-emitting portion may be constituted of a carbon-nanotube, it may be constituted of a carbon-nanofiber, or it may be constituted of a mixture of a carbon-nanotube with a carbon-nanofiber. Macroscopically, the carbon-nanotube and carbon-nanofiber may have the form of a powder or a thin film. The carbon-nanotube structure may have the form of a cone in some cases. The carbon-nanotube and carbon-nanofiber can be produced or formed by a known PVD method as an arc discharge method and a laser abrasion method; and any one of various CVD methods such as a plasma CVD method, a laser CVD method, a thermal CVD method, a gaseous phase synthetic method and a gaseous phase growth method.
....
In the plane-type field emission device, as a material for constituting an electron-emitting portion, particularly, carbon is preferred. More specifically, diamond, graphite and a carbon-nanotube structure are preferred.
......
The method of manufacturing the Spindt-type field emission device will be explained below with reference to FIGS. 17A, 17B, 18A and 18B which are schematic partial end views of the supporting member 10, etc., constituting a cathode panel.

The above Spindt-type field emission device can be obtained basically by a method in which the conical electron-emitting portion 17 is formed by vertical vapor deposition of a metal material. That is, while deposition particles perpendicularly enter the opening portion 16A formed through the focus electrode 15, the amount of deposition particles reaching the bottom portion of the opening portion 16 is gradually decreased by utilizing a masking effect produced by an overhanging deposit formed around the edge of opening of the opening portion 16A, and the electron-emitting portion 17, which is a conical deposit, is formed in a self-alignment manner. There will be explained below a method in which a peeling-off layer 19A is formed on the focus electrode 15 beforehand for making it easy to remove an unnecessary overhanging deposit. In the drawings for explaining the method of manufacturing a field emission device, one electron-emitting portion alone is shown.
.....
An electron-emitting portion 17A comprises a matrix 20 and a carbon-nanotube structure (specifically, a carbon-nanotube 21) embedded in the matrix 20 in a state where the toportion of the carbon-nanotube structure is projected, and the matrix 20 is made of an electrically conductive metal oxide (specifically, indium-tin oxide, ITO). [See Fig. 20 - no cones! But vertically arranged CNTs are aligned across the bottom of the emitter chamber in matrix 20]

From Sony's US patent 7,329,978:
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=7329978.PN.&OS=PN/7329978&RS=PN/7329978

So - the cone emitters can be molded entirely from CNTs! Or the emitters may be CNTs in a planar layer at the bottom of the emitter well. We will see what this amazing FED display actually contains some day! I have no doubts myself that CNTs are at the heart of it!!!!

See also United States Patent Application 20070196564

A Japanese company - FET - promises FED panel mass production by late 2009

Yoichiro Hata EE Times (08/06/2008 2:53 PM EDT) TOKYO — FE Technologies, a Japanese R&D firm spun out of Sony in 2006, announced that the company is poised to mass produce 26-inch FED panels by the end of 2009. The company is focused on the development of Field Emission Display (FED). Compared with other flat panel technologies such as LCDs and plasma displays, FED has long been known for its superior characteristics. They include: a higher contrast ratio, lower power consumption and wider viewing angle. Charles Spindt at Stanford Research Institute developed the principles of FED in 1968. Despite all of its advantages, FED has one big drawback: its manufacturability. Nobody has been able to mass produce FED as a video display, due to a number of technical issues. They include problems related to a structure of filed emitters and difficulty of attaining high vacuum levels required by FEDs. The Japanese company claims to have found solutions to the mass production problem. Principles of FE Technologies' FED Field emission displays are similar to CRTs. Instead of a single electron gun, FE Technologies' FED uses a large array of cone-shaped electrodes, called "Spindt." Many Spindts positioned behind each phosphor dot emit electrons through a process known as field emission. By charging 9kV electro differentials between anode and cathode substrates, electrons are generated and light up fluorescent material located in front of anode substrate. Electron generation is controlled by gate electrode. Spindt structure uses the field emission principle, which generates electron into air-vacuumed region at room temperature. There is no need for heating, said the company, as it leverages Tunnel effect. Self discharge between emitter and gate electrode is blocked by placing resistance layer. Conventional type of Spindt is structured by one Spindt per pixel. Therefore, size of each Spindt needs to be exactly identical. Otherwise, brightness of each pixel becomes uneven, thus lowering image quality. FE Technologies evened Spindt differentials by placing multiple numbers of Spindts, called Nano-Spindt Structure. "1,400 Spindts are required to keep pixel brightness differentials within 2 percent," said Hiroyuki Ikeda, general manager of marketing at F. E. Technologies. By implementing this structure, electric current per Spindt has decreased and life of Spindt itself has improved, according to the company. Sony spin-off FE Technologies was founded by investment from Sony and a few other companies. The mission of the company is to investigate FED business opportunity, said Shohei Hasegawa, FE Technologies President and C.E.O. "Idea of becoming independent was triggered by successful development of spacer materials," he explained. FED requires a high vacuum level. Spacer material which holds its shape between anode and cathode substrate against the air pressure is necessary. "We needed to develop electrically transparent material, which neither charges itself nor becomes conductive, but can maintain an electro field between anode and cathode " in parallel." In time for the FED panel mass production in late 2009, FE Technologies is scheduled to acquire Pioneer's Kagoshima plant before the end of 2008. The Japanese company will invest $183 million to $274 million (20 to 30 billion yen) in manufacturing equipment. FE Technologies will use the company's fourth generation glass substrate (730mm x 920mm). Each substrate will allow them to produce a pair of 26-inch panels. The company will proceed with the mass production of FED panels by using 5,000 glass substrates per month. The initial application for FE Technologies' 26-inch FED panels will be "master" monitors, used at TV broadcasting stations, to check picture quality. Neither LCDs nor PDPs are said to satisfy the high quality standard required by such master monitors. — Yoichiro Hata is managing editor of EE Times Japan. Source Does the Nano-Spindt Structure include CNTs? I do not know - perhaps - 1400 points per pixel is getting nano, indeed, and nothing is more nano than CNTs! We will have to see when they are sold whether they contain CNTs or not.

Spindt-type cathodes with aligned carbon nanotube emitters

Ding, M.Q. Xinghui Li Guodong Bai Jinjun Feng Fuquan Zhang Fujiang Liao
Vacuum Electron. Res. Inst., Nat. Lab. for High-power Vacuum Electron., Beijing, China;

This paper appears in: Vacuum Electron Sources Conference, 2004. Proceedings. IVESC 2004. The 5th International

Publication Date: 6-10 Sept. 2004

On page(s): 117- 119
ISSN:
ISBN: 0-7803-8437-7
INSPEC Accession Number: 8324401
Digital Object Identifier: 10.1109/IVESC.2004.1414156
Date Published in Issue: 2005-04-11 09:55:01.0

Abstract
Two kinds of Spindt-type cathode arrays with vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) emitters were fabricated. One process involved direct growth of CNTs from the bottom of each micro-cell and the other process was to grow CNTs on Mo tips in Spindt-type cathode arrays. The former had fairly good consistent emitters with a number of CNTs, whereas the latter showed a few or single CNTs in micro-sized cells could be formed.

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpls/abs_all.jsp?tp=&arnumber=1414156&isnumber=30641

China - and we all know this is where the action is (Da Ling, for example - not a successful example but an example, nevertheless!).

It would not surprise me in the least should Canon-Sony-FET's commercial offering be thusly constructed. What would surprise me is the presence of plain old unadulterated Spindt tips! Those do NOT work!! I assume this new offering does. Thus the NECESSITY of something to make it work - CNTs and/or carbon coat. That's my position and I am sticking to it! Till proved wrong.

Another thing that would not surprise me is Canon up to its neck in this, and I do not mean just supplying the IP. I do like surprises, however!!!!

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.

Japan's Sony affiliate to mass produce FED panels in 2009 - report

Tuesday, July 01, 2008; Posted: 06:34 PM

TOKYO, Jul 02, 2008 (Thomson Financial via COMTEX) -- Sony Corp. affiliate Field Emission Technologies Inc. plans to begin mass-producing a new type of flat panel called an FED (field emission display) at the end of 2009, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Wednesday, without citing sources.

FED panels offer clear video quality and are claimed to have twice the energy efficiency of LCD panels.

With all the necessary technologies in place, the company will acquire Pioneer Corp.'s plasma panel plant in Kagoshima Prefecture by year's end to launch commercial production of FED panels.

The total investment is estimated at 20 to 30 billion yen ($188.5 million to $282.7 million), the report said.

The firm will initially produce 10,000 26-inch FED panels a year at the plant to supply medical and broadcasting equipment manufacturers, then seek to enter the television market with 60-inch panels.

It will target annual FED sales of 25 billion yen in two years after the start of mass production, and eventually boost output to 100 billion yen.

Field Emission Technologies was spun off from Sony in December 2006 and is now 37.8 percent owned by Sony, with the remainder held by investment funds.

yasuhiko.seki@thomsonreuters.com

Source

Could be the biggest news we have ever heard or will ever hear again. K is ecstatic if, as I really truly believe, these displays are CNT blessed. What will Bijou demand? 5% royalty? 2%? $50/screen? Anything????? Perhaps Mitsui will deal?

As I said --COULD BE--! Cause 100 billion yen= $1 billion USD, and that's PER YEAR!!

Field Emission Technologies

■ Press Releases
•	April 10, 2008
			The nano-Spindt FED – a technology that achieves the user requirements for a flat panel display as master monitor, EBU-TECH 3320 and ARIB TR-B28 (228KB)
•	March 26, 2008
			The nano-Spindt FED is to be exhibited at NAB2008. The nano-Spindt FED – Meeting the requirements of the video industry (89KB)

Nano-Proprietary should look into this and arrange to license their IP to Sony-FET who will undoubtedly infringe their IP the moment these displays appear in the USA for any purpose without a license.

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