Three-dimensional simulation of an AC plasma display panel with T-shaped electrodes in waffle rib structure

Two parameters which mainly affect the performance of Plasma Display Panels (PDPs) are electrode and rib geometries of the PDP cell. T-shaped electrode geometry leads to slightly higher efficacy in comparison with conventional coplanar electrodes geometry because of extending the discharge path. This allows more uniform illumination of the phosphors by the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photons (reduction of possible saturation effects). On the other hand, closed cell structures (e.g. WAFFLE rib structure) instead of stripe rib structure lead to more efficient collection of the VUV photons and better efficacy consequently. These two geometries are more efficient because they allows longer extension of the discharge path, as indicated by the CCD images for the T-shaped electrodes, and a more efficient vacuum VUV collection by the phosphors. A numerical analysis of the He-Xe micro-discharge in a T- shaped electrode with WAGGLE rib structure PDP cell has been proposed. The time-dependent, three-dimensional multi-fluid equations have been applied to investigate the detailed, quantitative reasons of mentioned improvements. Simulations have been compared with the case of coplanar electrodes and stripe rib structure with similar dimensions and power consumption. The simulation results indicate that The T- shaped electrode structure combined with WAFFLE rib structure lead to an increase of 45% of the luminous efficacy. The time dependent distributions of the plasma parameters such as the electron temperature, electron density, various ion densities, and light intensity, etc., are presented during the sustaining period in both conventional coplanar electrode, stripe rib and T-shape electrode, WAFFLE PDP cell structures. Based on this 3-D multiphysic model of the PDP cell, some more improvements can be made in future.