JP3454499B2 - Method of manufacturing image display device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a flat panel type image display device using an electron-emitting device, and more particularly to a method for manufacturing an airtight container used in the image display device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art (Image Display Device Using Electron-Emitting Element)
Conventionally, there are known two types of electron-emitting devices, which are roughly classified into a thermoelectron-emitting device and a cold cathode electron-emitting device. The cold cathode electron-emitting device includes a field emission type (hereinafter referred to as FE type), a metal / insulating layer / metal type (hereinafter referred to as MIM type), a surface conduction type electron-emitting device, and the like.

As an example of the FE type, W. P. Dyke
& W. W. Dolan: "Field Emissi"
on ”, Advance in Electron P
hysics. , 8, 89 (1956), or C.I.
A. Spindt: "Physical Proper
ties of Thin-Film FieldEm
ision Cathodes with Moly
bdenum Cones ”, J. Appl. Phy
s. , 47, 5248 (1976) and the like are known.

An example of the MIM type is C.I. A. Mea
d: "Operation of Tunnel-Em
"Ission Devices", J. Appl. Ph.
ys. , 32,646 (1961) and the like are known.

As an example of the surface conduction electron-emitting device,
M. I. Elinson: Radio Eng. Elec
tron Phys. , 10, 1290 (1965) and the like are known.

Regarding the surface conduction electron-emitting device, M. Hartwell et al. [M. Hartwell and C.I. G. Fons
tad: IEEE Trans. ED Conf. , 5
1, 9 (1975)] is shown in FIG. In FIG.
(A) is a schematic plan view, (b) is a schematic sectional view, 1-
Reference numeral 1 is a substrate, 1-2, 1-3 are device electrodes, 1-4 is a conductive film, and 1-5 is an electron emitting portion. The conductive film 1-4 is made of a metal oxide or the like formed by sputtering, and the electron emission portion 1-5 is formed by an energization process called forming described later. The element electrode spacing L in the figure is 0.5 to 1 mm, and W is 0.1 mm.

The structure of an image display device using a surface conduction electron-emitting device is schematically shown in FIG. In FIG. 1, 2
Reference numeral -1 is a substrate on which a surface conduction electron-emitting device is formed (hereinafter referred to as a rear plate), 2-2 is a surface conduction electron-emitting device, 2-3 is a substrate on which a phosphor is arranged (hereinafter referred to as a face plate). ) 2-4 is a support frame, 2-5 is frit glass as a bonding material, 2-6 is a spacer, 2-7 is a gap between the face plate and the rear plate (hereinafter,
It is kept in a vacuum in the panel space). Further, inside the panel space 2-7, a substance called a getter that adsorbs residual gas molecules and maintains the vacuum of the panel space 2-7 is arranged (not shown). In the following description, the term "panel" refers to an image display device configured as shown in FIG.

The structure of such an image display device is similar to other electron-emitting devices, for example, field emission type electron-emitting devices.

(Method of Manufacturing Image Display Device) A method of manufacturing the surface conduction electron-emitting device and the image display device is described in detail in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 08-007749.

According to this, in the method of manufacturing the image display device, the rear plate 2-1 having the element electrodes 1-2 and 1-3 and the conductive film 1-4 formed on the surface in advance is prepared, and the rear plate 2 is prepared. -1, face plate 2-3, and support frame 2
-4 is bonded with a frit glass 2-5, a forming process for forming an electron emitting portion 1-5, a process for improving the characteristics of the electron emitting device called activation, and a high vacuum in the panel space 2-7. It consists of a baking process that is repeated.

Here, the forming step means that, after the panel space 2-7 is exhausted, a DC voltage or a very slow rising voltage, for example, 1 V / mi, is applied across the conductive film 1-4.
It is a step of forming a crack to be an electron emitting portion in a part of the conductive film by applying and energizing about n.

The activation step is to introduce the carbon-containing organic material gas into the panel space 2-7, and then to conduct the conductive film 1.
-4 is a step of applying a pulsed voltage to both ends for several minutes to several tens of minutes to remarkably increase and improve the characteristics of the electron-emitting device, that is, the electron emission current Ie with respect to the voltage.

Further, in the baking process, the panel is heated and evacuated to remove gas molecules adsorbed on the surface of the member such as the rear plate 2-1 and face plate 2-3, and the panel space 2-6 is evacuated to a high vacuum. It is a process to reach the target. The degree of vacuum required here is at least 10
^-6 Pa.

The reason why such a degree of vacuum is required is as follows.
This is because when the electron emitting device is driven in a low vacuum degree, the life of the electron emitting device is shortened, that is, the electron emission current Ie becomes small. Further, the higher the degree of vacuum is, the less the electron emission current Ie is reduced. That is, in order to extend the life of the electron-emitting device, it is necessary to keep the vacuum in the panel space 2-7 higher. Therefore,
In the baking process, it is important to obtain the highest vacuum possible.

Here, the adsorbed gas molecules are the organic material gas used in the activation step, water, oxygen, CO, CO ₂ , hydrogen and the like. Among these gas molecules, water is considered to be a factor that shortens the life of the electron-emitting device.

The vacuum exhaust in the forming step, the introduction of the organic material gas in the activation step, and the exhaust in the baking step are all pipes attached to the panel (hereinafter referred to as exhaust pipes). Is not described).

[0017]

In an image display device using an electron-emitting device, particularly a surface conduction electron-emitting device,
To increase the life of the electron-emitting device, the panel space 2-
The vacuum in 7 should be kept as high as possible.

However, the above-mentioned conventional method for manufacturing an image display device has the following problems.

The first problem is that in the baking step,
There has been a problem that the panel space 2-7 is not always fully evacuated and a sufficiently high degree of vacuum is not obtained.

In the baking step of the conventional method for manufacturing an image display device, the higher the heating temperature, the higher the heating temperature (20
(0 ° C. or higher), and the longer the heating and exhausting time is (5 hours or more), the higher the ultimate vacuum of the panel space 2-7 becomes. This indicates that the gas molecules remaining inside the panel space 2-7 are not exhausted sufficiently in the baking step.

In a general ultra-high vacuum apparatus, baking at 200 ° C. for several hours is sufficient for baking. Therefore, it is conceivable that some kind of gas emission source remains inside the panel space 2-7 in the baking step of the conventional method for manufacturing an image display device.

The second problem is a problem caused by the gas emission source remaining inside the panel space 2-7.

It is generally known that even in a sufficiently evacuated vacuum space, gas is released from the surface of the member forming the vacuum space. However, if the gas release source is present, the gas release rate is increased and the degree of vacuum in the vacuum space is rapidly deteriorated.

Due to the existence of the gas emission source inside the panel space 2-7, the steps of the method for manufacturing the image display device are completed, and in the completed panel, the gas is always emitted from the gas emission source in the panel space 2-7. Continues to be released, panel space 2-
The second problem is that the vacuum of No. 7 deteriorates rapidly.

A getter is arranged inside the panel space 2-7 in order to maintain the panel space 2-7 at a high degree of vacuum. However, since the space between the panel spaces is small, the release gas is not sufficiently absorbed by the getter. Therefore, it is considered that the vacuum degree inside the panel space 2-7 is not always maintained at a high vacuum level.

When the electron-emitting device 2-2 is driven to emit electrons, the pressure in the panel space rises sharply. This is the panel space 2-7 due to the gas emission from the gas emission source.
Because the adsorbed gas on the surface of the rear plate 2-1 and the face plate 2-3 increases with the deterioration of the vacuum of the, and the adsorbed gas is knocked out when the emitted electrons collide with the rear plate and the face plate. it is conceivable that.

The deterioration of the vacuum or the increase in the pressure of the panel space 2-7 causes the life of the electron-emitting device to be shortened as described above.

[Object of the Invention] That is, an object of the present invention is to provide a panel space 2-7 in a method of manufacturing an image display device using an electron-emitting device, particularly a surface conduction electron-emitting device.
In the panel completed by completing the steps of the method for manufacturing the image display device by eliminating the residual gas emission source inside the panel and allowing the panel space 2-7 to reach a sufficiently high degree of vacuum after the baking step, This is to prevent the vacuum in the panel space 2-7 from rapidly deteriorating.

[0029]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, a method for manufacturing an image display device using an electron-emitting device, particularly a method for manufacturing an image display device using a surface conduction electron-emitting device. In, the process is improved as follows. (1) Frit glass 2-5 as a bonding material is applied to the support frame 2-4 and the spacer 2-6. (2) A degassing step of removing gas molecules contained in the frit glass is performed by heating the support frame 2-4 and the spacer 2-6 coated with the frit glass 2-5 as the bonding material.

The temperature at this time is not lower than the transition point of the frit glass and not higher than the softening point.

The atmosphere is vacuum, dry air having a low water content, dry nitrogen, or dry inert gas. (3) The electron emission source 2-2 is formed on the rear plate 2-1.

Particularly in the case of an image display device using a surface conduction electron-emitting device, an electron emission source is formed by performing a forming process and an activation process. (4) Rear plate 2-1, face plate 2-3,
The support frame 2-4 and the spacer 2-6 are sealed by the frit glass 2-5, which is the bonding material applied in (1), to form a panel. (5) As a baking process, the panel is heated and exhausted.

The first difference between this step and the conventional step is that the step of forming the electron-emitting device is performed after the conventional step of performing the sealing step, whereas the step of the present proposal is the supporting frame 2
-4 and the spacer 2-6 are coated with the frit glass 2-5, a "degassing step" from the frit glass is provided, and then the step of forming the electron-emitting device is performed.

The second difference is that the sealing step is performed after forming the electron-emitting device.

[0035]

By such a process, in a method of manufacturing an image display device using an electron-emitting device, particularly a surface conduction electron-emitting device, a baking process is performed by eliminating the gas emission source remaining inside the panel space 2-7. The panel space 2-7 is made to reach a sufficiently high degree of vacuum after that, and the vacuum of the panel space 2-7 is rapidly deteriorated in the panel completed by completing the steps of the method for manufacturing the image display device. It is possible to suppress that.

To explain the operation of the present invention, the following assumptions are first made.

[In the method of manufacturing an image display device using electron-emitting devices, particularly surface-conduction electron-emitting devices, the most major gas emission source inside the panel space 2-7 is frit glass. When the gas is not sufficiently supplied, the frit glass becomes a residual gas emission source inside the panel space 2-7. "Generally, it is known that many gas molecules are dissolved in the frit glass. Has been. Of these, especially water is H
It is said to be dissolved as ₂ O molecules or OH groups. It is known that the gas molecules dissolved in the inside of the frit glass diffuse inside the frit glass, reach the surface, and then are released to the outside of the frit glass. The diffusion rate becomes faster as the temperature rises, becomes more vigorous at the transition point of the frit glass and slower at room temperature. Therefore, when the vacuum space is formed using frit glass, degassing from the frit glass is an important step.

Therefore, first, based on the above assumptions, problems of the conventional method of manufacturing an image display device using the electron-emitting device, particularly the method of manufacturing an image display device using the surface conduction electron-emitting device will be described. .

In the conventional manufacturing method, the sealing step is performed prior to the step of forming the electron-emitting device. Due to the sealing process, the frit glass is not sufficiently degassed, and the rear plate 2-1 and the face plate 2-
3 and the support frame 2-4 and the spacer 2-6. As a result, the exposed surface of the frit glass becomes very small, and gas molecules dissolved inside the frit glass are not easily released to the outside. Therefore, even if baking is performed at a high temperature for a long time, degassing is performed only gradually, a high degree of vacuum cannot be obtained, and the gas remains as a gas emission source inside the panel space 2-7.

If the above assumptions are satisfied, means for solving the problems of the present invention means a method of manufacturing an image display device using electron-emitting devices, particularly an image display device using surface-conduction electron-emitting devices. In the manufacturing method, it is necessary to adopt process procedures and process conditions that can sufficiently degas the frit glass.

The means of the present invention has the following actions.

As a process procedure for sufficiently degassing the frit glass, the frit glass 2-which is a bonding material to the supporting frame 2-4 and the spacer 2-6 of the above-mentioned means (1) is used.
5 is performed, the supporting frame 2-4 and the spacer 2-6 coated with the frit glass 2-5, which is the bonding material, of (2) are heated, and the gas contained in the frit glass is heated. A degassing step to remove molecules. " By doing so, the surface of the frit glass is largely exposed in the space when the means (2) is degassed, and efficient degassing can be performed.

Under the process conditions at that time, by setting the heating temperature to be equal to or higher than the transition point of the frit glass, the gas molecules dissolved inside the frit glass are strongly diffused and degassing can be completed in a short time. By setting the temperature to be equal to or lower than the softening point of the frit glass, the frit glass does not have fluidity and is held on the support frame 2-4 and the spacer 2-6. Furthermore, when the "atmosphere during degassing is a vacuum", all gas molecules dissolved in the frit glass are degassed. On the other hand, when "the atmosphere at the time of degassing is dry air or dry nitrogen or dry inert gas with a low water content", it is considered to be a factor that shortens the life of the electron-emitting device as described above. Gas molecules containing water are removed from the inside of the frit glass.

As the next step procedure, after the step of "forming the electron emission source 2-2 on the rear plate 2-1" of the means (3), the "rear plate 2 of the means (4) is performed.
-1, the face plate 2-3, the support frame 2-4, and the spacer 2-6 are sealed together via the frit glass 2-5 which is the bonding material applied in (1) to form a panel. " The process. This is because in the degassing step of the above step (3), it is assumed that the degassing from the frit glass was insufficient, and the gas molecules remaining in the frit glass suppress the adverse effect on the formation of the electron emission source. Is a process procedure of.

The above is the operation of the means of the present invention.

The importance of degassing from frit glass has already been argued in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-203755 as a conventional example. However, this conventional example relates to a method for manufacturing a cathode ray tube. Therefore, it does not show the procedure of the step of degassing the frit glass in the manufacturing method of the flat panel type image display device using the electron-emitting device. Further, in the above-mentioned conventional example, the temperature condition for degassing the frit glass is not specified.

Based on the above operation, the means of the present invention is based on the procedure of the step of degassing frit glass in the method of manufacturing a flat panel type image display device using an electron-emitting device, particularly a surface conduction electron-emitting device. It also shows the process conditions for degassing the frit glass.

[0048]

EXAMPLE Next, this example will be described in order to describe the present invention in detail.

Reference Example 1 First, an experiment was conducted to examine the gas release from the frit glass.

FIG. 3 shows an experimental apparatus used in this reference example .

In FIG. 3, 3-1 is frit glass, which is coated on the glass substrate 3-2. A heater 3-3 and a chamber 3-4 are connected to a vacuum exhaust system. 3-5 is a total pressure vacuum gauge, and 3-6 is a Q-MASS gauge. Frit glass has a transition point of 300 ° C and a softening point of 365.
A type of ℃ was used.

First, in FIG. 3, after the chamber 3-4 is sufficiently evacuated, the frit glass 3-1 and the glass substrate 3-2 are heated by the heater 3-3 at about 10 ° C./min to soften the transition point and soften. The temperature between the points was 320 ° C. and the temperature was kept constant for 1 hour. The vacuum degree of the space in the chamber 3-4 at that time was measured by the total pressure vacuum gauge 3-5. Then, the frit glass 3-1 and the glass substrate 3-2 are cooled,
The frit glass 3-1 and the glass substrate 3-2 were heated again under the same conditions as above, and the measurement was performed again. The measurement result at that time is shown in FIG.

In FIG. 4, the increase in pressure indicates the gas release from the frit glass.

At a temperature of about 100 ° C., there is a remarkable gas release in the first measurement, but it is much smaller than that in the first measurement in the second measurement. This outgassing may be the desorption of gas molecules adsorbed on the surface of the frit glass, especially physically adsorbed gas molecules. The reason why the second gas release is small is presumed that the gas molecules once desorbed are not re-adsorbed.

As the transition point of the frit glass 3-1 approaches 300 ° C., the gas emission increases again, and the gas emission decreases at 320 ° C. holding. This gas release is presumed to be the release of gas molecules dissolved inside the frit glass. Strictly speaking, it is not possible to determine from the experimental data that the origin of the released gas molecules is the gas molecules dissolved inside the frit glass, but considering the physical properties of the glass, it seems safe to conclude as described above. Be done. The fact that the gas release is attenuated by holding at 320 ° C. indicates the process in which the gas molecules dissolved inside the frit glass are removed. Even in the second measurement, outgassing at around 300 ° C or higher was observed,
The small amount is that the gas molecules dissolved in the frit glass are not completely removed only by the time of the first heating and holding, and that the gas molecules once removed are difficult to be reabsorbed. Shows.

From the above, the conclusions obtained from this reference example are as follows.

It is presumed that many gas molecules are dissolved inside the frit glass.

In order to remove gas molecules dissolved inside the frit glass, it is necessary to heat and hold it above the transition point of the frit glass.

When the holding time at high temperature of the frit glass is insufficient, or when the surface area of the frit glass is small even after holding for a long time, the gas molecules dissolved inside the frit glass should be removed. I can't.
Therefore, when the rear plate 2-1 and the face plate 2-3, the support frame 2-4, and the spacer 2-6 are sealed with the frit glass without degassing the frit glass, a large amount of the frit glass is left inside. The gas molecules of will remain dissolved. In such a process, frit glass can be a large outgassing source in the panel space 2-7.

That is, the conclusion of this reference example is that the above-mentioned assumption "the electron-emitting device, especially the surface-conduction electron-emitting device, is used as the basis of the means of the present invention. Frit glass is the main gas emission source inside −7. If the degassing of frit glass is not performed sufficiently, frit glass becomes the remaining gas emission source inside panel space 2-7. ” It shows that it is correct. However, strictly speaking, the conclusion that "the most major gas emission source inside the panel space 2-7" is not shown among the above assumptions. However, according to this reference example ,
It is fully suggested that the present invention is a means to sufficiently increase the vacuum in the panel space 2-7.

Reference Example 2 Next, the gas release of the frit glass when heated in a specific gas atmosphere was examined.

As in Reference Example 1, using the experimental apparatus of FIG. 3, the chamber 3-4 was filled with N ₂ gas of 10 ² Pa, and the frit glass 3-1 and the glass substrate 3-2 were heated by the heater 3-3. 320 at about 10 ℃ / min
The temperature was kept constant at 0 ° C. At that time, since there is no means for measuring a weak pressure fluctuation at a pressure near the atmospheric pressure, the pressure change in the space inside the chamber 3-4 was not measured. After that, the frit glass 3-1 and the glass substrate 3-2 are cooled, the chamber 3-4 is evacuated to a vacuum of 10 ⁻⁸ Pa, and then the frit glass 3-1 and the glass substrate 3-are again subjected to the same conditions as above. 2 was heated. The gas partial pressure of the space in the chamber 3-4 at that time was measured by the Q-MASS meter 3-6.

The measurement results at that time are shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 shows the partial pressure data of each gas type converted into the gas release rate. According to it, all gases except N ₂ gas show similar behavior.

The conclusion from this is as follows.

In order to remove water, which is considered to be a factor that deteriorates the electron-emitting device in degassing the frit glass, the atmosphere in the degassing process is not limited to vacuum, and dry air or a low water content may be used. Dry nitrogen or dry inert gas may be used.

( Example ) Next, an image display device was prototyped according to the means of the present invention.

The electron-emitting device of this embodiment is a surface conduction electron-emitting device. The prototype image display device is shown in FIG. 1 as a schematic diagram, and its process is shown in FIG. Although no spacer was used in this step, a supporting frame surrounding the periphery was used as the supporting member.
A spacer that supports between opposing substrates can be used. An airtight container is formed by these supporting frame, face plate, rear plate, spacer and other components.

The symbols in parentheses in the following description represent the steps shown in FIG. (R-1) The soda lime glass was washed, and the lower wiring was formed by screen printing on the rear plate on which the silicon oxide film was formed by the sputtering method. Next, an insulating layer was formed on the lower wiring, and the upper wiring was formed thereon. Further, element electrodes connected to the lower wiring and the upper wiring were formed. (R-2) Next, a conductive thin film made of PdO was formed by a sputtering method and then patterned to obtain a desired form.

Through the above steps, a rear plate having a simple matrix wiring element electrode and a conductive thin film was prepared. (F-1) A phosphor and a black conductor were formed on a soda-lime glass substrate by a printing method. A smoothing process was performed on the inner surface of the phosphor film, and then Al was deposited using vacuum deposition or the like to form a metal back. (F-2) Frit glass was formed at a predetermined position by printing.

Through the above steps, a face plate provided with the phosphor was prepared. (FR) Frit glass was applied to a predetermined position of the support frame. The frit glass used is of a type having a sealing temperature of 410 ° C., a transition point of 300 ° C. and a softening point of 365 ° C. (FR-1) Introduce the face plate, the rear plate, and the support frame created in the above steps into the vacuum chamber,
After installation, evacuation was performed. (FR-2) While evacuation was performed, the face plate, the rear plate, and the support frame were heated at a rate of 10 ° C./min to 320 ° C., which is higher than the transition point of the frit glass and lower than the softening point, and then held for 5 hours. (FR-3) After reaching a sufficient degree of vacuum, a voltage was applied to the device electrode through the lower wiring and the upper wiring, and a forming process was performed on the conductive thin film. After that, 10 ⁻² Pa of acetone was introduced as an organic material gas for activation. (FR-4) After that, the temperature is raised to 410 ° C., which is the sealing temperature, and while aligning the face plate and the rear plate, the face plate, the support frame, and the rear plate are brought into contact with each other and pressed to join them, and then at room temperature. Cooled down. (FR-5) The panel was taken out from the vacuum chamber, the panel thus formed was subjected to a baking process of heating and exhausting at 300 ° C. for 10 hours, and then the tube with the vacuum exhaust system was sealed. (FR-6) In order to maintain the degree of vacuum after sealing, a getter process was performed by a high frequency heating method.

The image display device manufactured by the manufacturing method of the present invention completed as described above, through the lower wiring and the upper wiring, which are matrix wiring, scan signals and modulation signals are respectively generated by signal generating means (not shown). An electron was emitted by applying the voltage, and a high voltage of several kV or more was applied to the metal back to accelerate the emitted electron, and the image was displayed by colliding with the phosphor.

In the displayed image, no difference in light emission was visually recognized even in the central portion and in the vicinity of the frit glass.

Further, when driven for a long time, as shown in FIG. 7, the electron emission current Ie showing the performance of the electron emitting device was improved. That is, in the method of manufacturing the image display device, the process procedure of degassing the frit and the degassing process are effective in suppressing the deterioration of the electron-emitting device.

Reference Example 3 Next, using the means (1), (2) and (3) described above, an image display device was prototyped according to the process chart shown in FIG. The electron emitting device of this reference example is a field emission type electron emitting device.

FIG. 9 shows a schematic diagram of one pixel of the prototype image display device. In FIG. 9, 9-1 is a rear plate,
9-2 is a face plate, 9-3 is an emitter, 9-
Reference numeral 4 is a gate electrode, 9-5 is an insulating layer between the emitter and gate, 9-6 is a focusing electrode, and the arrangement of the support frame and the frit glass is the same as that shown in FIG.

The symbols in parentheses in the following description represent the steps shown in FIG. (R-1) The soda lime glass is washed and then by a known method.
The emitter, gate electrode, wiring, etc. shown in FIG. 9 were created. The emitter material was Mo.

Through the above steps, a rear plate having a field emission type electron-emitting device with simple matrix wiring was formed. (F-1) A phosphor and a black conductor were formed on a soda-lime glass substrate by a printing method. A smoothing process was performed on the inner surface of the phosphor film, and then Al was deposited using vacuum deposition or the like to form a metal back. (F-2) Frit glass was formed at a predetermined position by printing.

Through the above steps, a face plate provided with the phosphor was prepared. (FR) Frit glass was applied to a predetermined position of the support frame. The frit glass used is of a type having a sealing temperature of 410 ° C., a transition point of 300 ° C. and a softening point of 365 ° C. (FR-1) Introduce the face plate, the rear plate, and the support frame created in the above steps into the vacuum chamber,
After installation, evacuation was performed. (FR-2) While evacuation was performed, the face plate, the rear plate, and the support frame were heated at a rate of 10 ° C./min to 320 ° C., which is higher than the transition point of the frit glass and lower than the softening point, and then held for 5 hours. (FR-3) After that, the temperature is raised to 410 ° C. which is the sealing temperature, and while aligning the face plate and the rear plate, the face plate, the support frame, and the rear plate are brought into contact with each other and pressed to join them, and then at room temperature. Cooled down. (FR-4) It was taken out from the vacuum chamber, and a getter process was performed by a high frequency heating method in order to maintain the degree of vacuum after sealing.

The image display device manufactured by the manufacturing method of the present invention completed as described above emits electrons by applying the scanning signal and the modulation signal by the signal generating means (not shown) through the matrix wiring. An image was displayed by accelerating the emitted electrons by applying a high voltage of 2 kV to the metal back and colliding with the phosphor.

In the displayed image, no difference in light emission was visually recognized in the central portion and in the vicinity of the frit glass. Further, in continuous driving for 500 hours, no significant decrease in the brightness of the display image was observed.

In each of the reference examples and examples described above, the image display device using the phosphor has been described. However, the present invention is also applicable to a method for manufacturing an airtight container of an image forming device for forming a latent image. It is applicable and the same effect can be obtained.

[0083]

As described above, according to the present invention,
In a method for manufacturing an airtight container used for a flat panel image display device, a step of adhering a joining material for joining the constituent members of the airtight container to each of the constituent members, a degassing step of the joining material, and the degassing step After that, degassing is performed at a stage where the surface of the adhesive is exposed by a sealing step of joining the constituent members via the joining material, so that degassing can be performed more completely.

In the method of manufacturing a flat panel type image display device using electron-emitting devices, particularly the method of manufacturing an image display device using surface-conduction electron-emitting devices, (1) a bonding material for the support frame and the spacer (2) The supporting frame and the spacer coated with the frit glass that is the bonding material are heated to perform a degassing step of removing gas molecules contained in the frit glass; The temperature is above the transition point of the frit glass and below the softening point;
The atmosphere is vacuum, dry air having a low water content, dry nitrogen, or dry inert gas. (3) An electron emission source is formed on the rear plate. Especially, an image using a surface conduction electron-emitting device. In the case of a display device, an electron emission source is formed by performing a forming step and an activating step; (4) The rear plate, the face plate, the support frame, and the spacer are the frit which is the bonding material applied in (1). A panel is formed by sealing with glass. (5) As a baking step, the panel is heated and exhausted;
By improving the process like the above, it is possible to eliminate the residual gas emission source in the space inside the panel and to make the space inside the panel reach a sufficiently high vacuum degree after the baking process. It is now possible to prevent the vacuum in the space from rapidly deteriorating.

As a result, the deterioration of the electron-emitting device can be suppressed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an image display device using a surface conduction electron-emitting device.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a device configuration of a surface conduction electron-emitting device.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an experimental device used in Reference Examples 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an experimental result showing a gas release from a frit glass in Reference Example 1.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an experimental result showing gas release from a frit glass in Reference Example 2.

FIG. 6 is a process drawing of an example .

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing experimental data showing a temporal change of the electron emission current Ie in the example .

FIG. 8 is a process drawing of Reference Example 3 .

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of an image display device using a field emission electron-emitting device in Reference Example 3 .

[Explanation of symbols]

1-1 Substrate 1-2, 1-3 Element electrode 1-4 Conductive film 1-5 Electron emission part 2-1 Substrate (rear plate) on which surface conduction electron-emitting device is formed 2-2 Surface conduction electron Emitting element 2-3 Substrate (face plate) on which phosphor is arranged 2-4 Support frame 2-5 Frit glass 2-6 which is a bonding material Spacer 2-7 Gap between face plate and rear plate (panel space ) Frit glass 3-2 Glass substrate 3-3 Heater 3-4 Chamber 3-5 Total pressure vacuum gauge 3-6 Q-MASS meter 9-1 Rear plate 9-2 Face plate 9-3 Emitter 9-4 Gate electrode 9-5 Insulating layer between emitter / gate 9-6 Focusing electrode

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP-A-7-94102 (JP, A) JP-A-7-230776 (JP, A) JP-A-10-302635 (JP, A) JP-A-10- 254374 (JP, A) JP 9-274847 (JP, A) JP 11-135018 (JP, A) JP 2000-149784 (JP, A) JP 2000-138028 (JP, A) JP Flat 2-10542 (JP, B2) Glass for electronic parts, Japan, Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd., 1997, 14th edition, pp. 12 (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01J 9/26 H01J 9/02 H01J 9/24

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A method for manufacturing a flat type image display device comprising a phosphor and a surface conduction electron-emitting device for emitting light from the phosphor in an airtight container, wherein a frit glass for joining the constituent members of the airtight container. A step of adhering the frit glass to the constituent member,
Heating above the transition point and below the softening point of the frit glass
Is performed by the degassing step of the frit glass is performed after the degassing step, the surface conduction electron-emitting
An element forming step and an activating step, and a surface conduction electron-emitting element forming step and
A sealing step of joining the constituent members via the frit glass after the degassing step , which is performed after the activation step, and the constituent members of the airtight container are introduced into a vacuum chamber.
Degassing process, forming process, activation process
After performing the sealing and sealing process,
A method for manufacturing an image display device, which comprises: 2. A surface conduction electron first substrate emitting elements are arranged, and discharge of from the surface conduction electron-emitting devices
An image display device provided with an airtight container configured such that second substrates on which phosphors that emit light by electrons are disposed are opposed to each other, and a support member fixed by frit glass is disposed between the substrates. In the manufacturing method of 1., a coating step of coating the frit glass on the joint, a degassing step of removing the gas contained in the frit glass coated on the joint , and the surface treatment performed after the degassing step. Conductive electron emitter
Forming step and activation step of the child, and forming step of the surface conduction electron-emitting device,
A sealing step of joining the first substrate, the second substrate, and the support member, which is performed after the activation step , via the frit glass after the degassing step, The degassing step is at or above the transition point of the frit glass,
It is carried out by heating below the softening point, and the first substrate, the second substrate and the support member,
In the state of being introduced into the vacuum chamber, the degassing step,
Forming process, activation process and sealing process were performed
A method of manufacturing an image display device, which is subsequently taken out of the vacuum chamber . 3. Removed from the vacuum chamber,
A baking step is performed on the sealed components of the airtight container.
It has a step of sealing after applying and further performing getter processing
The method for manufacturing an image display device according to claim 1, wherein: 4. Removed from the vacuum chamber,
The first substrate, the second substrate, and the supporting member, which have been sealed, are
After the baking process, it is sealed and then gettered.
The method for manufacturing an image display device according to claim 2, wherein the method is performed.