Project Title:
Silicon-Based, Full-Color, Flat-Panel Display
09.11-6000
912000
Silicon-Based, Full-Color, Flat-Panel Display
Spire Corporation
One Patriots Pk
Bedford
MA
01730-2396
Fereydoon
Namavar
617-275-6000
JSC
NAS9-18678
200
09.11-6000
912000
Abstract:
Silicon-Based, Full-Color, Flat-Panel Display
This project will lead to fabrication of full-color, flat-panel displays entirely
on silicon substrates. This may be feasible by recent advancements in fabricating
bright, visible light-emitting silicon quantum wires. The firm has produced photoluminescent
(PL) silicon quantum wires with red, orange, yellow, green, and blue emission by
electrochemically etching bulk silicon under different conditions. Although electroluminesence
(EL) of these wires has not yet been demonstrated, we have observed emission similar
to PL results from the samples immersed in an H20: NaCl electrolyte with an applied
electric field. In Phase I, the firm will fabricate silicon quantum wire test structures
and demonstrate EL performance. Based on the results, multipixel monochrome silicon
EL displays will be fabricated, and fabrication of full-color silicon EL display
panels will be explored in Phase II. The above-mentioned findings, combined with
mature silicon technology, offer a rare opportunity for a major advance in flat-panel
displays. This new approach will make it possible to integrate monolithically the
light-emitting elements of a panel display and the associated electronics on the
same substrate. Such a development would result in significant reduction of fabrication
steps and therefore cost. In addition, this technique will circumvent problems associated
with flat-panel displays using dissimilar materials, such a zinc-sulfide-on-glass,
which require chip-on-glass technology or an external driver circuit.
This project could lead to low-cost, high-efficiency, silicon-based display panels
with integrated driver circuits. These panels will have immediate applications in
a broad range of technologies, from aerospace to medical; later applications could
include high-definition television.
displays, porous silicon, TFEL, anodic etching, quantum wire