Electron transport self-shift display using an AC plasma panel

Using an electron transport mechanism, a self-shift display has been successfully implemented on an ac plasma panel providing higher resolution, higher shifting speed, and wider operating margins than previously obtained. The mechanism consists of a unidirectional and efficient transport of a large portion of electrons (generated during the display site discharge) to a neighboring OFF transfer site by a low transverse voltage. The process results in a large wall voltage build-up at the transfer site to switch its state from OFF to ON. The implemented electron transport self-shift display consists of a 7 × 128 site array of an Owens-Illinois 60 lines per inch panel where the 128 columns are driven by a four-phase driver. A resolution of one display site for every two electrodes and a shifting speed better than 600 characters per second have been successfully demonstrated. The ranges of the shifting voltages VDand VTare better than 15 V over a 10-V sustain range. The shifting operation also was successfully demonstrated on an 83 lines per inch panel with good operating margins.