Structure and fabrication of flat-panel display having spacer with laterally segmented face electrode

摘要

A flat-panel display contains a pair of plate structures (40 and 42) coupled together to form a sealed enclosure. A spacer (44) is situated in the enclosure for resisting external forces exerted on the display. The spacer is formed with a main spacer portion (60), typically shaped like a wall, and a face electrode (66) situated over a face of the main spacer portion. The face electrode causes electrons moving from one of the plate structures to the other to be deflected in such a manner as to compensate for other electron deflection caused by the presence of the spacer. The face electrode is divided into multiple laterally separated segments (661-66N) to improve the accuracy of the compensation along the length of the spacer. In fabricating the display, a masking step is typically utilized in defining the widths of the segments of the face electrode.