U. S. Patent # 5,766,446 (1998).

Abstract

An electrochemical technique is employed for removing certain material from a partially finished structure without significantly chemically attacking certain other material of the same chemical type as the removed material. The partially finished structure contains a first electrically non-insulating layer (52C) consisting at least partially of first material, typically excess emitter material that accumulates during the deposition of the emitter material to form electron-emissive elements (52A) in an electron emitter, that overlies an electrically insulating layer (44). An electrically non-insulating member, such as an electron-emissive element, consisting at least partially of the first material is situated at least partly in an opening (50) extending through the insulating layer. With the partially finished structure so arranged, at least part of the first material of the first non-insulating layer is electrochemically removed such that the non-insulating member is exposed without significantly attacking the first material of the non-insulating member.

Inventors

C. Spindt, G. S. Chakarova, M. S. Nikolova, P. C. Searson, D. A. Haven, N. J. Knall, J. M. Macaulay, and R. W. Barton

Assignee

Candenscent Technologies Corp., San Jose, CA

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