Large arrays of microcavity plasma devices for active displays and backlighting

Developments of the past several years in the technology of microcavity plasma devices having characteristic dimensions of 10-100 μm suggests their applicability to the next generation of active and passive displays. Two examples of device structures that are well suited for economically manufactured arrays of large active area are presented. Arrays as large as 500×500 (2.5·10⁵) pixels of Si inverted pyramid microplasma devices, with emitting apertures of 50×50 μm² and designed for AC or bipolar excitation, have been designed and operated successfully in the rare gases at pressures up to and beyond one atmosphere. Multilayer Al/nanostructured Al₂O₃ microplasma devices having 100-300 μm diam. cylindrical microcavities are robust and operate in the abnormal glow mode for rare gas or Ar/2-5% N₂ mixture pressures of 500-700 torr. Grown by a wet chemical process, the nanoporous Al₂O₃ dielectric yields a lightweight, flexible structure that produces intense visible or ultraviolet emission when driven by sinusoidal AC or bipolar voltage waveforms.