CHARACTERIZATION OF NOVEL POWDER AND THIN-FILM RGB PHOSPHORS FOR FIELD-EMISSION DISPLAY APPLICATION

The spectral response, brightness, and outgassing characteristics of n ew, low-voltage phosphors for application in field emission flat panel displays, are presented. The tested phosphor materials include combus tion synthesized powders and thin films prepared by rf diode or magnet ron sputtering, laser ablation, and molecular beam epitaxy. These cath odoluminescent materials are tested with e-beam excitation at currents up to 50 mu A within the 200-2000 V (e.g., ''low-voltage'') and 3-8 k V (e.g., ''medium-voltage'') ranges. The spectral coordinates are comp ared to commercial low-voltage phosphors. Phosphor outgassing, as a fu nction of time, is measured with a residual gas analyzer at fixed 50 m u A beam current in the low-voltage range. We find that levels of outg assing stabilize to low values after the first few hours of excitation . The desorption rates measured for powder phosphor layers with differ ent thicknesses are compared to desorption from thin films. (C) 1997 A merican Vacuum Society.