Exoemission Properties of PDP Protective Layers

The priming properties of four different types of protective layers inside plasma display panels (PDPs) are compared, using undoped MgO, Si-doped MgO, Sc-doped MgO, and MgCaO (15%) plasma protective layers. In a two-electrode type of PDP, the statistical spread in discharge formation time is measured, as a function of the waiting time from 5 μs to 50 ms, after excitation by a different number of sustain cycles (1-1024) at 200 and 10 kHz. The results are interpreted in terms of the delayed emission of exoelectrons from these oxide cathodes. The kinetics of the emission process is compared with that of the existing recombination emission models. An exocurrent contribution is present in all of the materials that decays with the square root of the waiting time. It is proportional to the electron density itself, and can qualitatively be explained by a three-particle Auger electron loss mechanism.