Influence of densification of the protective layer on the discharge voltage in AC plasma display panel

The influence of several additives such as CaO, Y2O3, SrO, ZnO, Al2O3, TiO2 and ZrO2 to MgO on the discharge characteristics of AC plasma display pane ls was investigated as a function of the additives content. Among the vario us additives, the titanium oxide was the most efficient in lowering the dis charge voltages of panels which exhibited 13 V lower firing voltages and 19 V lower sustaining voltages than the conventional MgO. The discharge volta ges were found to have minimum points at the additives' content of 0.1 or 0 .2 regardless of which additive. Above this point, the discharge voltages g radually increased according to the additives content, which resulted From exceeding the solid solution limit of MgO with the appearance of a cracked film surface. The packing density of the evaporated films was increased by addition of the additives in the range of the additives' content that did n ot exceed the solid solution limit of the MgO. There was a nearly linear re lationship between the refractive index and the discharge voltages. The den sification effect by the additives was thought to be the main reason for th e decrease in the discharge voltages. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All ri ghts reserved.