Thin-film transistor fabrication for high brightness reconfigurable vacuum fluorescent displays

The design and fabrication of a thin-film transistor array for use in a reconfigurable, active matrix vacuum fluorescent display suitable for high ambient light operating conditions such as automotive instrument clusters is described. Thin-film transistor (TFT) arrays were fabricated in a novel 4-transistor per pixel configuration using a p-channel polycrystalline silicon transistor fabrication process. Display assembly was then completed by the Futaba Corporation. The robust transistor structure is capable of enduring the 550/spl deg/C post-processing anneal temperature associated with phosphor deposition and packaging, Initial displays yielded luminances of 2500 ftL when operated at 40 V, and suggest an ultimate brightness of 5000 ftL for 55 V operation.