Electron generating device, image display apparatus, driving circuit ...

1. An electron generating device comprising a multi-electron source having a plurality of electron emitters wired in the form of a matrix through a plurality of data wiring layers and a plurality of scanning wiring layers, and a driving circuit for driving said multi-electron source, said driving circuit including:

first driving means for applying a first voltage to a scanning wiring layer to which an electron emitter which is to emit electrons is connected, and applying a second voltage to a remaining scanning wiring layer of the plurality of scanning wiring layers to which an electron emitter which is not to emit electrons is connected; and

second driving means for selectively applying one of a third voltage and a fourth voltage, wherein the third voltage is applied to a data wiring layer to which an electron emitter which is to emit electrons is connected and the fourth voltage is applied to a data wiring layer to which an electron emitter which is not to emit electrons is connected,

wherein the second voltage is substantially equal to the third voltage.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second voltages applied to the scanning wiring layers are based on a scanning signal for selecting each row of the matrix.

3. The device according to claim 1, further comprising modulation means for generating a modulation signal based on a image signal.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the third and fourth voltages applied to the data wiring layers are based on the modulation signal.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein the modulation signal is a pulse-width modulated signal.

6. The device according to claim 3, wherein the modulation signal is a amplitude modulated signal.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the electron emitter is a surface-conduction type electron emitter having a nonlinear characteristic including a threshold voltage point as a boundary point between electron emission and non-electron emission in a relationship between a voltage applied to a pair of emitter electrodes and a corresponding electron emission amount.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein both a potential difference between the second voltage and the fourth voltage and a potential difference between the fourth voltage and the first voltage are smaller than a value of the threshold voltage point.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein said driving circuit generates the first and second voltages by using a push-pull structure.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein said second driving means further comprises

measurement means for measuring emitter currents flowing in the electron emitters and variations in input/output efficiencies of the electron emitters, and

storage means for storing correction values for correcting the input/output efficiency variations measured by said measurement means, and

said second driving means generates the third and fourth voltages on the basis of the correction values stored in said storage means and the modulation signal.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein said second driving means comprises a controlled current source connected to the data wiring layer.

12. An image display apparatus comprising said electron generating device defined in one of claims 1 to 11, and light-emitting means for emitting light upon reception of electrons emitted from said electron generating device.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second voltage is substantially equal to the third voltage within a range defined by upper and lower limits of variations in the third voltage at the respective data wiring layers.

14. A driving circuit for driving a multi-electron source having a plurality of electron emitters wired in the form of a matrix through a plurality of data wiring layers and a plurality of scanning wiring layers, comprising:

first driving means for applying a first voltage to a scanning wiring layer to which an electron emitter which is to emit electrons is connected, and applying a second voltage to a remaining scanning wiring layer of the plurality of scanning wiring layers to which an electron emitter which is not to emit electrons is connected; and

second driving means for selectively applying one of a third voltage and a fourth voltage, wherein the third voltage is applied to a data wiring layer to which an electron emitter which is to emit electrons is connected and the fourth voltage is applied to a data wiring layer to which an electron emitter which is not to emit electrons is connected,

wherein the second voltage is substantially equal to the third voltage.

15. The circuit according to claim 14, wherein the first and second voltages applied to the scanning wiring layers are based on a scanning signal for selecting each row of the matrix.

16. The circuit according to claim 14, further comprising modulation means for generating a modulation signal based on a image signal.

17. The circuit according to claim 16, wherein the third and fourth voltages applied to the data wiring layers are based on the modulation signal.

18. The circuit according to claim 16, wherein the modulation signal is a pulse-width modulated signal.

19. The circuit according to claim 16, wherein the modulation signal is an amplitude modulated signal.

20. The circuit according to claim 14, wherein the second voltage is substantially equal to the third voltage within a range defined by upper and lower limits of variations in the third voltage at the respective data wiring layers.

21. A method of driving an electron generating device comprising a multi-electron source having a plurality of electron emitters wired in the form of a matrix through a plurality of data wiring layers and a plurality of scanning wiring layers, and a driving circuit for driving said multi-electron source, comprising the steps of:

applying a first voltage to a scanning wiring layer to which an electron emitter which is to emit electrons is connected;

applying a second voltage to a remaining scanning wiring layer of the plurality of scanning wiring layers to which an electron emitter which is not to emit electrons is connected;

selectively applying one of a third voltage and a fourth voltage, wherein the third voltage is applied to a data wiring layer to which an electron emitter which is to emit electrons is connected and the fourth voltage is applied to a data wiring layer to which an electron emitter which is not to emit electrons is connected, wherein the second voltage is substantially equal to the third voltage.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the first and second voltages applied to the scanning wiring layers are based on a scanning signal for selecting each row of the matrix.

23. The method according to claim 21, further comprising modulation means for generating a modulation signal by modulating a video signal.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the third and fourth voltages applied to the data wiring-layers are based on the modulation signal.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the modulation signal is a pulse-width modulated signal.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein the modulation signal is an amplitude modulated signal.

27. The method according to claim 21, wherein the second voltage is substantially equal to the third voltage within a range defined by upper and lower limits of variations in the third voltage at the respective data wiring layers.

28. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second voltage is substantially the same as a minimum value of the third voltage.

29. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second voltage is substantially the same as the third voltage which is applied to the data wiring layer located nearest to a scanning circuit.

30. The device according to claim 1, wherein the third voltage is determined in advance.

31. The device according to claim 1, wherein the third voltage is determined by a simulation.

32. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second voltage is substantially the same as a mean value of the third and fourth voltages applied to the data wiring layers.

33. The circuit according to claim 14, wherein the second voltage is substantially the same as a minimum value of the third voltage.

34. The circuit according to claim 14, wherein the second voltage is substantially the same as the third voltage which is applied to the data wiring layer located nearest to a scanning circuit.

35. The circuit according to claim 14, wherein the third voltage is determined in advance.

36. The circuit according to claim 14, wherein the third voltage is determined by a simulation.

37. The circuit according to claim 14, wherein the second voltage is substantially the same as a mean value of the third and fourth voltages applied to the data wiring layers.

38. The method according to claim 21, wherein the second voltage is substantially the same as a minimum value of the third voltage.

39. The method according to claim 21, wherein the second voltage is substantially the same as the third voltage which is applied to the data wiring layer located nearest to a scanning circuit.

40. The method according to claim 21, wherein the third voltage is determined in advance.

41. The method according to claim 21, wherein the third voltage is determined by a simulation.

42. The method according to claim 21, wherein the second voltage is substantially the same as a mean value of the third and fourth voltages applied to the data wiring layers.

43. A driving circuit for driving an electron source having a plurality of electron emitters wired in the form of a matrix through a plurality of data wiring layers and a plurality of scanning wiring layers, comprising:

first driving means for applying a first voltage to a scanning wiring layer to which an electron emitter which is to emit electrons is connected, and applying a second voltage to a remaining scanning wiring layer of the plurality of scanning wiring layers to which an electron emitter which is not to emit electrons is connected; and

second driving means for applying a third voltage to a data wiring layer to which an electron emitter which is to emit electrons is connected,

wherein the polarity of the first voltage is opposite to the polarity of the second voltage and the polarity of the second voltage is the same as the polarity of the third voltage.

44. The circuit according to claim 43, wherein said second driving means has a controlled current source connected to the data wiring.

45. The circuit according to claim 44, wherein said third voltage equals a voltage applied while a current flows from the controlled current source.

46. The circuit according to claim 43, further comprising means for applying a fourth voltage to a data wiring to which an electron emitter which is not to emit electrons is connected.

47. A driving circuit for driving an electron source having a plurality of electron emitters wired in the form of a matrix through a plurality of data wiring layers and a plurality of scanning wiring layers, comprising:

first driving means for applying a first voltage to a scanning wiring layer to which an electron emitter which is to emit electrons is connected, and applying a second voltage to a remaining scanning wiring layer of the plurality of scanning wiring layers to which an electron emitter which is not to emit electrons is connected; and

a current source for supplying a current to a data wiring layer to which an electron emitter which is to emit electrons is connected,

wherein the second voltage is substantially equal to a voltage applied while said current source supplies the current to the electron emitter so as to emit an electron.

48. The circuit according to claim 47, further comprising means for applying a fourth voltage to a data wiring to which an electron emitter which is not to emit electrons is connected.

49. An electron generating apparatus, comprising:

an electron source having a plurality of electron emitters wired in the form of a matrix through a plurality of data wiring layers and a plurality of scanning wiring layers; and

a driving circuit for driving the electron source, said driving circuit including:

first driving means for applying a first voltage to a scanning wiring layer to which an electron emitter which is to emit electrons is connected, and applying a second voltage to a remaining scanning wiring layer of the plurality of scanning wiring layers to which an electron emitter which is not to emit electrons is connected; and

second driving means for applying a third voltage to a data wiring layer to which an electron emitter which is to emit electrons is connected,

wherein the polarity of the first voltage is opposite to the polarity of the second voltage and the polarity of the second voltage is the same as the polarity of the third voltage.

50. The apparatus according to claim 49, wherein said second driving means has a controlled current source connected to the data wiring.

51. The apparatus according to claim 50, wherein the third voltage equals a voltage applied when a current flows from the controlled current source.

52. The apparatus according to claim 49, further comprising means for applying a fourth voltage to a data wiring to which an electron emitter which is not to emit electrons is connected.

53. An electron generating apparatus, comprising:

an electron source having a plurality of electron emitters wired in the form of a matrix through a plurality of data wiring layers and a plurality of scanning wiring layers; and

a driving circuit for driving the electron source,

said driving circuit including:

first driving means for applying a first voltage to a scanning wiring layer to which an electron emitter which is to emit electrons is connected, and applying a second voltage to a remaining scanning wiring layer of the plurality of scanning wiring layers to which an electron emitter which is not to emit electrons is connected; and

a current source for supplying a current to a data wiring layer to which an electron emitter which is to emit electrons is connected,

wherein the second voltage is substantially equal to a voltage applied while said current source supplies the current to the electron emitter so as to emit an electron.

54. The apparatus according to claim 53, further comprising means for applying a fourth voltage to a data wiring to which an electron emitter which is not to emit electrons is connected.

55. A driving method for driving an electron source having a plurality of scanning emitters wired in the form of a matrix through a plurality of data wiring layers and a plurality of scanning wiring layers, comprising the steps of:

applying a first voltage to a scanning wiring layer to which an electron emitter which is to emit electrons is connected;

applying a second voltage to a remaining scanning wiring layer of the plurality of scanning wiring layers to which an electron emitter which is not to emit electrons is connected, wherein the polarity of the first voltage is opposite to the polarity of the second voltage; and

applying a third voltage to a data wiring layer to which an electron emitter which is to emit electrons is connected, wherein the polarity of the second voltage is the same as the polarity of the third voltage.

56. The method according to claim 55, wherein the third voltage equals a voltage applied while a current flows from the controlled current source.

57. The method according to claim 55, further comprising the step of applying a fourth voltage to a data wiring to which an electron emitter which is not to emit electrons is connected, while the third voltage is applied to the data wiring layer to which the electron emitter which is to emit electrons is connected.

58. A driving method for driving an electron source having a plurality of electron emitters wired in the form of a matrix through a plurality of data wiring layers and a plurality of scanning wiring layers, comprising the steps of:

applying a first voltage to a scanning wiring layer to which an electron emitter which is to emit electrons is connected, and applying a second voltage to a remaining scanning wiring layer of the plurality of scanning wiring layers to which an electron emitter which is not to emit electrons is connected; and

supplying a current to a data wiring layer to which an electron emitter which is to emit electrons is connected,

wherein the second voltage is substantially equal to a voltage applied while said current source supplies the current to the electron emitter so as to emit an electron.

59. The method according to claim 58, further comprising the step of applying a fourth voltage to a data wiring to which an electron emitter which is not to emit electrons is connected, while the third voltage is applied to data wiring layer to which the electron emitter which is to emit electrons is connected.