SHIELDED FIELD EMISSION DISPLAY

摘要

A field emission display having emitters controlled by an integrated driving circuit. The field emission display includes a charge shield positioned above exposed areas of the substrate to protect driving circuitry integrated into the substrate. The charge shield is a conductive layer within an insulative layer covering the driving circuit. The charge shield is connected to ground or to a low reference potential to bleed away current within the insulative layer, thereby preventing drifting charges from affecting the electrical response of the integrated driving circuit. The charge shield also terminates electric fields within the insulative layer to reduce the effect on the integrated driving circuit of dynamic variations in surface charge. Electrical characteristics of the driving circuit thus remain constant, reducing variations in the current supplied to the emitters, thereby reducing variations in the intensity of light emitted by the display.