LCD BACKLIGHT USING COLD-CATHODE FIELD EMISSION

IN RECENT YEARS THE ACTIVE MATRIX LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY (LCD) HAS BEEN DEVELOPED TO REPLACE THE CATHODE RAY TUBE (CRT) IN NUMEROUS APPLICATIONS, INCLUDING THE COMBAT FIGHTER COCKPIT. THE LCD IS A LIGHT MODULATION TECHNIQUE THAT REQUIRES AN ADDITIONAL ELEMENT, A LIGHT SOURCE, IN ORDER TO BE VIEWABLE UNDER ALL LIGHTING CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, THE AVAILABLE LIGHT SOURCES HAVE PROVEN DEFICIENT IN POWER EFFICIENCY AND RELIABILITY WHEN MEASURED AGAINST THE ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIFICATIONS OF MILITARY COCKPITS. THIS PROPOSAL WILL PROVE THE FEASIBILITY OF A NEW TECHNOLOGY, THE FIELD EMISSION DISPLAY (FED), SUITABLE TO MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF AN LCD BACKLIGHT. BASED UPON THE FUNDAMENTAL WORK AT SRI INTERNATIONAL, AN LCD BACKLIGHT DESIGN WILL BE PROPOSED; INCLUDING BRIGHTNESS, EFFICIENCY, RELIABILITY, OPERATING VOLTAGES, AND COST. AN ALTERNATIVE DESIGN SUITABLE FOR FIELD SEQUENTIAL COLOR OPERATION WILL ALSO BE PROPOSED. THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROPOSAL, AND THE PHASE II FOLLOW-ON, WILL RESULT IN THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF THE FED TECHNOLOGY. EFFICIENCIES OF 20 LUMENS/WATT AND LIFETIMES BEYOND 10,000 HOURS UNDER SEVERE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FROM THIS TECHNOLOGY.