Fiber containing carbon, substrate and electron emission device using fiber containing carbon, electron source using the electron emission device, display panel using the electron source, and information displaying/playing apparatus using the display panel, and a method of manufacturing thereof

Abstract

The invention provides a fiber containing carbon which is less deteriorated in terms of electron emission characteristic, is excellent in terms of reproducibility, and can in addition be formed at a low cost, a substrate and electron emission device using the fiber containing carbon, an electron source using the electron emission device, a display panel using the electron source, and an information displaying/playing apparatus using the display panel, and a method of manufacturing these. The manufacturing method comprises a first step of preparing a substrate (substrate 1 ) equipped with a catalyst (catalyst layer 3 ) on its surface; and a second step of causing the fiber containing carbon (carbon fiber 4 ) to grow using the catalyst, whereby the second step comprises, in order to decrease, from a midway point of time in this step, the growth rate at which the fiber containing carbon grows, a sub-step of controlling the growth conditions for the fiber containing carbon.

1 . A method of manufacturing a fiber containing carbon, the method comprising:
 a first step of preparing a substrate having a catalyst on its surface; and   a second step of growing a fiber containing carbon using the catalyst,   wherein the second step comprises a sub-step of controlling the growth condition of the fiber, in order to decrease a growth rate of the fiber.   
     
     
         2 . A method of manufacturing a fiber containing carbon, the method comprising:
 a first step of preparing a substrate having a catalyst on its surface; and   a second step of growing a fiber containing carbon by heating the substrate in a carbon-containing atmosphere,   wherein the second step includes a sub-step for decreasing a growth rate of the fiber.   
     
     
         3 . A method of manufacturing a fiber containing carbon according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the sub-step comprises a first sub-step of heating the substrate in a carbon-containing atmosphere in which a partial pressure of a carbon-containing gas in the atmosphere is first partial pressure; and   a second sub-step of heating the substrate, after the first sub-step, in a carbon-containing atmosphere in which a partial pressure of a carbon-containing gas in the atmosphere is second partial pressure, which is lower than the first partial pressure.   
     
     
         4 . A method of manufacturing a fiber containing carbon according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the partial pressure of the carbon-containing gas is phased out from the first partial pressure to the second partial pressure.   
     
     
         5 . A method of manufacturing a fiber containing carbon according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the partial pressure of the carbon-containing gas is continuously decreased from the first partial pressure to the second partial pressure.   
     
     
         6 . A method of manufacturing a fiber containing carbon according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the second partial pressure is 20 Pa or less.   
     
     
         7 . A method of manufacturing a fiber containing carbon according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the temperature for heating the substrate in the second sub-step is the same as the temperature for heating the substrate in the first sub-step.   
     
     
         8 . A method of manufacturing a fiber containing carbon according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the temperature for heating the substrate in the second sub-step is ±10% or less in terms of its temperature fluctuation as measured from the temperature for heating the substrate in the first sub-step.   
     
     
         9 . A method of manufacturing a fiber containing carbon according to  claim 2 , wherein
 between the first step and the second step, a step of heating the substrate in a reducing atmosphere is further comprised.   
     
     
         10 . A method of manufacturing a fiber containing carbon according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the second sub-step is the one wherein, in a state where the substrate is kept heated, the partial pressure of the carbon-containing gas is decreased from the same partial pressure as the first partial pressure or a partial pressure lower than that first partial pressure to a partial pressure under which the fiber is substantially not grown.   
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacturing a fiber containing carbon according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the partial pressure under which the fiber is substantially not grown is 0.0001 Pa or less.   
     
     
         12 . A method of manufacturing a fiber containing carbon, the method comprising:
 (A) disposing within a chamber a substrate having multiple catalyst particles thereon;   (B) introducing a reducing gas within the chamber up to a desired partial pressure;   (C) commencing heating of the substrate and heating the substrate at a desired fixed value of temperature; and   (D) growing a fiber containing carbon to on the substrate, by introducing carbon-containing gas into the chamber while the temperature of the substrate is maintained at the desired temperature.   
     
     
         13 . A method of manufacturing a fiber containing carbon according to  claim 12 , which further comprises:
 (E) evacuating the carbon-containing gas from the chamber up to a partial pressure under which the fiber containing carbon is substantially not grown; and   (F) commencing lowering the temperature of the substrate, while a state where the partial pressure for the carbon-containing gas within the chamber is kept a partial pressure under which the fiber containing carbon is substantially not grown is maintained.   
     
     
         14 . A method of manufacturing a fiber containing carbon, the method comprising:
 (A) disposing within a chamber a substrate having multiple catalyst particles thereon;   (B) growing a fiber containing carbon to on the substrate, by introducing carbon-containing gas into the chamber and heating the substrate up to a desired temperature;   (C) evacuating the carbon-containing gas from the chamber down to a partial pressure under which the fiber is substantially not grown, while the temperature of the substrate is maintained at the desired temperature; and   (D) commencing lowering the temperature of the substrate, while a state where the partial pressure for the carbon-containing gas within the chamber is kept a partial pressure under which the fiber is substantially not grown is maintained.   
     
     
         15 . A method of manufacturing an electron emission device having a fiber containing carbon, wherein
 the fiber containing carbon is manufactured using the method of manufacturing as set forth in  claim 1 .   
     
     
         16 . A method of manufacturing an electron emission device having a fiber containing carbon, wherein
 the fiber containing carbon is manufactured using the method of manufacturing as set forth in  claim 2 .   
     
     
         17 . A method of manufacturing an electron emission device having a fiber containing carbon, wherein
 the fiber containing carbon is manufactured using the method of manufacturing as set forth in  claim 12 .   
     
     
         18 . A method of manufacturing an electron emission device having a fiber containing carbon, wherein
 the fiber containing carbon is manufactured using the method of manufacturing as set forth in  claim 14 .   
     
     
         19 . A method of manufacturing an electron source having multiple electron emission devices, wherein
 the electron emission device is manufactured using the method of manufacturing as set forth in  claim 15 .   
     
     
         20 . A method of manufacturing an electron source having multiple electron emission devices, wherein
 the electron emission device is manufactured using the method of manufacturing as set forth in  claim 16 .   
     
     
         21 . A method of manufacturing an electron source having multiple electron emission devices, wherein
 the electron emission device is manufactured using the method of manufacturing as set forth in  claim 17 .   
     
     
         22 . A method of manufacturing an electron source having multiple electron emission devices, wherein
 the electron emission device is manufactured using the method of manufacturing as set forth in  claim 18 .   
     
     
         23 . A method of manufacturing an image display apparatus having an electron source and a light-emitting member capable of emitting a light by the electrons emitted from the electron source, wherein
 the electron source is manufactured using the method of manufacturing as set forth in  claim 19 .   
     
     
         24 . A method of manufacturing an image display apparatus having an electron source and a light-emitting member capable of emitting a light by the electrons emitted from the electron source, wherein
 the electron source is manufactured using the method of manufacturing as set forth in  claim 20 .   
     
     
         25 . A method of manufacturing an image display apparatus having an electron source and a light-emitting member capable of emitting a light by the electrons emitted from the electron source, wherein
 the electron source is manufactured using the method of manufacturing as set forth in  claim 21 .   
     
     
         26 . A method of manufacturing an image display apparatus having an electron source and a light-emitting member capable of emitting a light by the electrons emitted from the electron source, wherein
 the electron source is manufactured using the method of manufacturing as set forth in  claim 22 .   
     
     
         27 . A method of manufacturing an information displaying/playing apparatus comprising at least a receiver unit that outputs at least one of image information, character information, and sound information contained in a broadcasting signal that has been received, and an image display apparatus connected to the receiver unit, wherein
 the image display apparatus is manufactured using the method of manufacturing as set forth in  claim 23 .   
     
     
         28 . A method of manufacturing an information displaying/playing apparatus comprising at least a receiver unit that outputs at least one of image information contained in a broadcasting signal that has been received, character information, and sound information, and an image display apparatus connected to the receiver unit, wherein
 the image display apparatus is manufactured using the method of manufacturing as set forth in  claim 24 .   
     
     
         29 . A method of manufacturing an information displaying/playing apparatus comprising at least a receiver unit that outputs at least one of image information contained in a broadcasting signal that has been received, character information, and sound information, and an image display apparatus connected to the receiver unit, wherein
 the image display apparatus is manufactured using the method of manufacturing as set forth in  claim 25 .   
     
     
         30 . A method of manufacturing an information displaying/playing apparatus comprising at least a receiver unit that outputs at least one of image information contained in a broadcasting signal that has been received, character information, and sound information, and an image display apparatus connected to the receiver unit, wherein
 the image display apparatus is manufactured using the method of manufacturing as set forth in  claim 26 .   
     
     
         31 - 42 . (canceled)