Matrix screen, particularly a large screen, and a method of manufacturing it

{
  "publication_number": "US5369281A",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A",
  "title": "Matrix screen, particularly a large screen, and a method of manufacturing it",
  "abstract": "The invention is applicable to matrix detector or display screens formed by assembling several elementary screens. A matrix screen according to the invention comprises several elementary screens (E1 to E4) spliced together on one of their edges (10, 11). According to the invention, each elementary screen (E1 to E4) includes a mechanical stop device (B1 to B4) which mates with a mechanical stop device on an elementary screen to which it is spliced so that the two elementary screens are positioned relative to each other. This arrangement avoids long and difficult alignment and indexing during the assembly of the elementary screens (E1 to E4) since these operations are completed when the elementary screens are cut, this operation itself requiring the use of accurate alignment and indexing tools.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method for manufacturing a large size matrix screen comprising the steps of forming at least two large size elementary screens each having lateral dimensions of more than ten centimeters and each carrying a respective bidimensional matrix of active elements on a respective non-crystalline substrate, said method further comprising the step of cutting at least one side of each elementary screen by means of an excimer laser, said cutting operation forming a mechanical stop on said one side at an edge of the screen, the mechanical stop thus formed matching with a corresponding mechanical stop similarly formed on a side of an adjacent elementary screen to position the adjacent elementary screens relative to each other, and abutting said adjacent elementary screens side to side, with said mechanical stops of adjacent screens in corresponding abutment.",
    "2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the large size matrix screen is a photosensitive screen.",
    "3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the large size matrix screen is an X-ray radiation detecting screen.",
    "4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the large size matrix screen is a display screen.",
    "5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical stop device has a sawtooth shape.",
    "6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical stop has a notch shape.",
    "7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical stop has a circular shape.",
    "8. A method for manufacturing a large size matrix screen comprising the steps of forming at least two large size elementary screens each having lateral dimensions of more than ten centimeters and each carrying a respective bidimensional matrix of active elements on a respective non-crystalline substrate, said matrix surrounded by a peripheral edge derived from active elements, said method comprising the step of cutting each elementary screen by means of an excimer laser along at least one side of the screen in the immediate vicinity of the respective matrix of active elements, so as to remove a lateral portion of substrate derived of active elements on said one side of the screen, and during this cutting operation forming a mechanical stop on the edge of the screen outside the matrix of active elements, the mechanical stop thus formed matching with a corresponding mechanical stop similarly formed on one side of an adjacent elementary screen to position the adjacent elementary screens relative to each other, and abutting said adjacent elementary screens side to side, with said mechanical stops of adjacent screens in corresponding abutment."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The invention applies to matrix screens of the type formed by assembling several elementary screens, each elementary screen comprising a matrix of active elements or pixels. More precisely, the invention is a method of facilitating and simplifying the alignment of the pixels and the splicing of the elementary screens.\n\nMatrix arrangements are frequently used in screens to detect various types of radiation and in flat display screens.\n\nThe manufacture of certain relatively large matrix screens poses major problems to the extent that they are often produced by assembling several elementary circuits or screens. Such problems are encountered particularly with C.C.D. (Charge-Coupled Device) image detector screens, each detector screen consisting of an assembly of several elementary detector screens, measuring approx 1.5 mm by 1.5 mm.\n\nThe normal method of producing a matrix screen as described above, i.e. using several smaller screens referred to as elementary screens, involves, as a first step, cutting each elementary screen as close as possible to the active zone containing the active elements or pixels. The non active zone remaining on each elementary circuit must be as small as possible to avoid increasing the space between two rows or columns of pixels on adjacent spliced elementary screens compared to the space between rows or columns formed in a given elementary screen. Cutting the elementary screen close to the active zone requires extremely accurate alignment and is, therefore, a long, delicate operation.",
  "cpc": [
    "H04N 9/12",
    "G02F 1/13336",
    "H04N 5/32"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G02F 1/1347",
    "H04N 9/12"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Thomson Tubes Electroniques"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Vincent Spinnler",
    "Marc Arques"
  ],
  "filing_date": "1993-02-12",
  "publication_date": "1994-11-29",
  "grant_date": "1994-11-29",
  "priority_date": "1992-02-18",
  "application_number": "US-1690093-A",
  "family_id": "9426748",
  "cited_by_count": 23,
  "citations": [
    "US3453097A",
    "US3594761A",
    "GB2054933A",
    "US4695716A",
    "US4860075A",
    "EP0397965A2",
    "US5214261A",
    "US5105087A"
  ]
}