Characteristics of discharge pattern in surface-discharge AC plasma display panels

A two-dimensional computer simulation for the surface-discharge ac plasma display panel shows that the suppression electrodes perform the function of confining the discharge area within a unit cell. This is due to the effect of the suppression on the surface potential caused by the ion or electron accumulation on the dielectric protecting layer rather than the pinch effect on the electric field. The investigation of the effects of various panel dimensions on the discharge pattern resulted in discovery of an analytical relationship that can be used to determine whether the discharge pattern is a criss-cross or single-sided one for given panel dimensions. The formation mechanism of the crisscross discharge pattern was clarified from the consideration of the computer simulation and the computer-aided image processing of the discharge pattern from an experimental surface-discharge ac plasma display panel.