Abstract

A process is disclosed for anodically bonding an array of spacer columns to one of the inner major faces on one of the generally planar plates of an evacuated, flat-panel video display. The process includes the steps of: providing a generally planar plate having a plurality of spacer column attachment sites; providing electrical interconnection between all attachment sites; coating each attachment site with a patch of oxidizable material; providing an array of unattached permanent glass spacer columns, each unattached permanent spacer columns being of uniform length and being positioned longitudinally perpendicular to a single plane, with the plane intersecting the midpoint of each unattached spacer column; positioning the array such that an end of one permanent spacer column is in contact with the oxidizable material patch at each attachment site; and anodically bonding the contacting end of each permanent spacer column to the oxidizable material layer. The invention also includes an evacuated flat panel display having spacer structures which are anodically bonded to an internal major face of the display, as well as a face plate assembly manufactured by the aforestated process.

Other References

• J.D. Mun, et al., Large Area Electrostatic Bonding for Macropackaging of a Field Emission Display, Inst. for Advanced Eng., Seoul, Korea, 1996
• M. Esashi, et al., Anodic Bonding For Integrated Capacitive Sensors, Micro Electro Mechanical Systems '92 Conference, Feb. 4-7, 1992, pp. 43-48
• Electrode Phenomena during Anodic Bonding of Silicon to Sodium Borosilicate Glass, Kevin B. Albaugh, J. Electrochemical Society, vol. 138, No. 10, Oct. 199