Fabrication of electron-emitting structures using charged-particle tracks and removal of emitter material

摘要

An electron emitter suitable for a flat-panel CRT display is fabricated by a process in which charged particles are passed through a track layer (144) to create charged-particle tracks (1461). The track layer is etched along the tracks to form apertures (1481) that are employed in defining corresponding cap regions (150A) over an underlying emitter layer (142). After removing the track layer, part of the emitter layer is removed using the cap regions as masks to control the extent of the emitter material removed. Electron-emissive elements (142D), typically in the shape of cones, are thereby formed in the remainder (142C) of the emitter layer. The electron emitter can also be provided with a gate electrode (158C).