CNF3 plasma treatment of Si field emitter arrays for no damage vacuum packaging

Si field emitter arrays (FEAs) are promising cold cathodes for field emissi on displays (FEDs). The emission current from the Si FEAs, however, is know n to decrease significantly after the vacuum-packaging process based on the frit sealing technique. In this work, we have investigated the mechanism o f the current decrease and found that CHF3 plasma treatment of the lip surf ace was sufficiently effective to prevent the problem. In the experiment, t he Si FEAs were exposed to the CHF3 plasma for 15 s and then treated by the same process as that for the frit sealing at various temperatures. No chan ges in the emission current were observed before and after the frit sealing process at temperatures up to 430 degrees C. Details of the CHF3 plasma tr eatment are described.