The apparatus for sealing face plates (753) and cathodes (754) has three stations (701, 702, 703). The first (701) is a preheater, the second (702) is an alignment and 
irradiation station and the third (703) is a controlled cooling 
station. Beneath each 
station, a 
vacuum pump (710) capable of drawing ultralow pressures is provided. The preheater is equipped with upper and lower banks of radiant heaters and reflectors (712). The upper heaters are Provided above a 
quartz: window (713) of a chamber (714) constituting the station. The pressure in the preheater is pumped down to that in the alignment and 
irradiation station prior to opening of the 
gate valve between them and transfer of the face plate and 
cathode. At the alignment and 
irradiation station, further heaters (716) are provided. Those above the face plate and 
cathode, the face plate being uppermost, are mounted on frames (717) about hinges (718), whereby they can be swung up to clear this station's top 
quartz window, exposing the face plate to the view of an optical 
system (719) and a 
laser (720). Manipulation controls (722) are provided for manipulating the position of the face plate to be pixel alignment, as measured by the optical 
system (719), with the 
cathode. The 
laser is traversed around further. The cooling station (703) has meanwhile been pumped down and the sealed device is transferred to it. The temperature of the device is allowed to rise very slowly, in order to reduce the risk of thermal 
cracking to as great an extent as possible. As the temperature slowly falls, air is slowly introduced, so that the finished device can be removed to the ambient surroundings.