APPENDIX E. UKRAINIAN SITE REPORTS

Site: Erotron Research Institute
90 Antonovych Street
L'viv 290044
Ukraine
Telephone: (0322) 34-11-19
Fax: (0322) 35-41-05

Date Visited: October 28, 1993

Report Author: M.J. DeHaemer

ATTENDEES

WTEC:

M.J. DeHaemer
O.D. Lavrentovich

HOSTS:

Stepan Kinakh

Yuri Skoblenko

Victor L. Shklyar

BACKGROUND

Erotron, the Ukraine state research institute of cathode-ray tubes, was founded in 1956 and specializes in the development of small lots (up to 10,000 units per year) of cathode-ray tubes for different applications: consumer electronics, medical systems, scientific instrumentation, industrial devices, aircraft, spacecraft, and other vehicle display systems. Erotron has also designed CRTs for industrial mass production at other facilities.

Erotron has designed and has in production the following:

• color CRTs meeting the rigid specifications of aircraft and vehicle systems
  
• monochrome and black-and-white CRTs for video control devices and viewfinders
  
• photoregistering and flying-spot scanning CRTs of super-high resolution, including tubes with fiber-optics and monocrystal screens
  
• low-frequency band oscilloscope tubes (up to 200 Mhz)
  
• projection CRTs for aircraft heads up displays
  
• CRTs used as modules of multiple module displays to achieve an effective very large screen

Erotron is actively pursuing contracts with commercial organizations to supply CRTs for television sets, industrial requirements, and special-purpose instruments. They reported a recent contract for supply of high-quality small-diameter color tubes for export to a manufacturer of television sets.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES

Color Picture Tubes for Airborne and Land Vehicle Systems

Erotron has encountered several design problems with these systems -- vibration and shock resistance, strong ambient magnetic fields, and high ambient illumination. The main problem concerns production of the shadow mask (a very thin metal sheet), which performs as the color-selection electrode. High ambient light presents another important design problem that has been solved by improved methods of black-matrix coating, engineering the production of precision screens with high contrast glass, and applications of antiglare coatings. A 0.5% integral reflection factor with a 0.15-0.3% spectral reflection factor is achieved in 25 cm diagonal tubes now in production.

R&D continues for improvement of vibration and shock resistance, as well as coping with higher ambient levels of light.

Monochrome displays

High resolution in small diameter tubes (2 million pixels with a 2.5-cm diagonal) with high brightness and low power consumption are achieved with a specially designed electron-optical system in a small (13 mm) neck.

Trends for future development of monochrome CRTs include the following:

• improvement of ergonomics -- flattened rectangular screens with reduced glare
  
• reduced power requirements
  
• transition to the 9:16 aspect ratio
  
• development of tube versions with different phosphors to achieve specific colors, persistence, and long operating life
  

Photoregistering and Flying-Spot Scanning CRTs

Many different models of photoregistering CRTs are being produced for use in aircraft and spacecraft as well as for facilitating direct photography or photocopying of the CRT image. These CRTs are intended for high-speed photorecording of graphical and alphanumeric information by means of contact printing from the screen. CRTs in these applications have been designed with either monocrystal or fiber-optic screens.

In 1995, Erotron will produce high-resolution monocrystal screens of about 140 TV-lines/mm resolution compared to the 115 TV- lines/mm commonly used. Erotron also plans to produce a new high-resolution CRT (70 TV-lines/mm) with fiber-optic screen, with 42 mm useful diameter that transforms electrical signals into a light image in red and green spectrum regions. The CRT is for devices recording information on a spatial-time light modulator and to put information on a large screen.

SUMMARY

Erotron is an active and excellent design team for state-of-the- art displays that will use CRTs. The institute has particular interest and competence in designing high resolution screens that may translate electronic information into paper copy by some process of direct contact photocopying. Erotron is interested in the export markets for its many products, which are competitive in both quality and price. Joint cooperative ventures would be welcomed.

REFERENCES

Erotron. "Research Institute 'Erotron.'" Information sheets. Erotron Research Institute. L'viv, Ukraine.