Light-emitting panel and a method for making
View Patent ↗An improved light-emitting panel having a plurality of micro-components sandwiched between two substrates is disclosed. Each micro-component contains a gas or gas-mixture capable of ionization when a sufficiently large voltage is supplied across the micro-component via at least two electrodes. An improved method of manufacturing a light-emitting panel is also disclosed, which uses a web fabrication process to manufacturing light-emitting displays as part of a high-speed, continuous inline process.
1. A web fabrication process for manufacturing a plurality of light-emitting panels, the process comprising:
providing a first substrate;
disposing a plurality of micro-components on the first substrate, each micro-component emitting light when exposed to a triggering voltage;
disposing a second substrate on the first substrate such that the plurality of micro-components are disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; and
dicing the first and second substrates to form the plurality of light-emitting panels.
2. The process of claim 1 , wherein providing the first substrate comprises pulling a web of the first substrate off of a roll.
3. The process of claim 1 , wherein further comprising forming a plurality of sockets in the first substrate.
4. The process of claim 1 , further comprising forming a plurality of sockets in the first substrate and wherein disposing the plurality of micro-components comprises disposing each micro-component at least partially within each socket.
5. The process of claim 4 , wherein providing the first substrate comprises forming the first substrate with a plurality of material layers and forming the plurality of sockets comprises selectively removing portions of the material layers to form a plurality of cavities.
6. The process of claim 4 , wherein forming the plurality of sockets comprises patterning the first substrate with a plurality of cavities.
7. The process of claim 6 , further comprising disposing a material layer on the first substrate so that the material layer conforms to a shape of each socket and disposing at least one electrode between the first substrate and the material layer.
8. The process of claim 6 , further comprising disposing a plurality of material layers on the first substrate so that the plurality of material layers conform to a shape of each socket and disposing at least one electrode within the plurality of material layers.
9. The process of claim 4 , wherein providing the first substrate comprises forming the first substrate by disposing a plurality of material layers and forming the plurality of sockets comprises selectively removing portions of the material layers to form a plurality of cavities.
10. The process of claim 9 , further comprising disposing an electrode on at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate.
11. The process of claim 10 , wherein the electrode is disposed between two material layers of the plurality of material layers.
12. The process of claim 1 , further comprising providing control electronics for the light-emitting panels.
13. The process of claim 1 , wherein providing the first substrate, disposing the plurality of micro-components, disposing the second substrate, and dicing the first and second substrates is performed as a continuous high-speed inline process.
14. The process of claim 1 , wherein providing the second substrate comprises pulling a web of the second substrate off of a roll.