JP2002140988A - Manufacturing method of plasma display panel, and plasma display panel manufactured using it - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simplify a manufacturing process of a PDP and to reduce cost of a manufacturing facility. SOLUTION: Gas in a discharge space in the plasma display panel is not exhausted by vacuum, aging is performed while making discharge gas flow, and then sealing is performed for blocking an ventilation hole of discharge gas.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a plasma display panel.

[0002] Plasma display panels (PDPs)
) Is attracting attention as a display device replacing a cathode ray tube, and is expected to be used for large displays such as high-definition televisions.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art The structure of a general AC type PDP is shown in FIG. A group of display electrodes 101 and display scan electrodes 102 that are opposed to each other are formed on a glass substrate 103.
These electrodes include a transparent electrode and a bus electrode for preventing a voltage drop due to the electric resistance of the transparent electrode. These display electrodes 101 and display scan electrodes 102 are grouped in the dielectric layer 10.
4 and further with an MgO protective film 105. On the other hand, a stripe-shaped address electrode 107 is formed on one glass substrate 106. The address electrode 107 is covered with a dielectric layer 108, and a rib 109 is formed adjacent to the address electrode 107. The rib 109 cuts off the influence on the adjacent cell at the time of address discharge,
It works to prevent light crosstalk. Next, red, blue, and green phosphors 110 are separately applied to the respective ribs so as to cover the address electrodes 107. The glass substrate 103 and the glass substrate 106 are combined while maintaining a gap,
The surroundings are sealed with sealing glass. Thereafter, the inside of the panel is evacuated while heating through a discharge gas vent provided in the glass substrate (exhaust baking step).
In the exhaust baking step, the water, hydrocarbons, oxygen, and the like adsorbed on the surfaces of the ribs, the phosphor, the MgO protective film, etc. in the sealed discharge space inside the PDP are desorbed by heating, and the PDP is evacuated. It is performed for the purpose of removing to the outside. After the temperature of the panel is raised to about 300 ° C. in advance, the PDP discharge space is evacuated using an evacuation device. After the discharge space inside the PDP has a sufficient degree of vacuum, a discharge gas mainly composed of an inert gas such as Ne is filled (gas filling step), and the discharge gas vent is closed (sealing step). ing. In the panel manufactured in the above process, even if the above-described exhaust baking is sufficiently performed, more impurity gas is generated in the initial stage of lighting than the structure in the PDP internal space. It is considered that this is because sputtering or the like by the discharge gas occurs in the space exposed to the discharge by the discharge. The release of the impurity gas degrades the purity of the discharge gas in the PDP discharge space, causing the discharge characteristics of the PDP to deteriorate and causing the operation to be unstable.
Aging for lighting the PDP is performed for a predetermined time (aging step). The impurity gas released by the aging is absorbed by the getter installed in the PDP discharge space, and the PDP discharge space is in a purified state. FIG. 4 shows a simplified flow of the PDP manufacturing process.

[0004]

However, when a PDP is manufactured by a conventional manufacturing method, there is a problem that the manufacturing process is complicated and the cost of manufacturing equipment is high. According to the conventional method, once P is sufficiently sufficient in the exhaust baking process.
Since the impurities in the DP discharge space are removed, a high-purity discharge gas is sealed, the PDP is sealed, and then aging is performed to further remove the impurities in the PDP discharge space. I have. In particular, in the exhaust baking step, it is conceivable that the evacuation speed is increased and the evacuation capacity is increased in order to shorten the manufacturing tact time. However, introduction of the evacuation equipment that realizes these increases the cost of the production equipment. ing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of simplifying a PDP manufacturing process and reducing the cost of manufacturing equipment.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a discharge space is formed by sealing a pair of substrates at a constant interval and sealing the outer periphery of the pair of substrates. A method for manufacturing a plasma display panel having at least two or more discharge gas vents for introducing and discharging a gas into and from a discharge space in a plasma display panel, the method comprising: Without evacuating the gas, applying a voltage between the electrodes of the plasma display panel and discharging the plasma display panel while flowing a discharge gas into the discharge space within the plasma display panel, and then discharging to the discharge space within the plasma display panel Hand that seals the gas and seals the discharge gas vent It is used.

Further, means for heating the discharge gas flowing during the discharge of the plasma display panel is used.

Further, a means for sealing the discharge gas vent hole without exposing the discharge space in the plasma display panel to the atmosphere after the discharge of the plasma display panel is used.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a PDP manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention. Figure 3 shows PDP1
The glass substrate 103 and the glass substrate 106 on which necessary components are respectively formed are combined while maintaining a certain gap, and the surroundings are sealed with a sealing glass. The apparatus is connected to the present production apparatus through a gas inlet 2, a gas outlet 3, a gas inlet 4 connected to the gas inlet 2, and a gas outlet 5 connected to the gas outlet 3 provided on the substrate 106 side. Have been. A cylindrical glass tube is used for the gas introduction pipe 4 and the gas discharge pipe 5, and the gas introduction port 2 and the gas introduction pipe 4, and the gas discharge port 3 and the gas discharge pipe 5 are connected using low melting point glass. The internal space is composed of a gas inlet pipe 4 and a gas outlet pipe 5
It is sealed except at the end. The gas introduction pipe 4 and the pipe 6 on the manufacturing apparatus side are connected using a connection jig 7, and the gas discharge pipe 5 and the pipe 8 are connected using a connection jig 9.
Although not shown, an O-ring is embedded in the connection jig 7 so that the gas introduction pipe 4 and the pipe 6 can be sealed.
Similarly, although not shown, an O-ring is embedded in the connection jig 9 so that the gas exhaust pipe 5 and the pipe 8 can be sealed. The pipe 6 is connected via a valve 11 to an aging gas introduction system 10 for introducing an aging gas, and a valve 1 is connected to a discharge gas introduction system 12 for introducing a discharge gas.
3 are connected. Aging gas introduction system 10
An aging gas heating mechanism 17 for heating the aging gas is provided between the valve and the valve 11. Similarly, the piping 8 is connected via a valve 15 to an aging gas discharge system 14 for discharging aging gas. A pump (not shown) is embedded in the aging gas discharge system to adjust the pressure in the internal space 18 of the PDP 1. In this embodiment, a rotary pump is used as the pump, but the present invention is not limited to this as long as the pressure in the internal space 18 of the PDP 1 can be adjusted. Also, the internal space 18 of the PDP 1
Is adjusted to the pressure at the time of aging and at the time of gas filling, the adjustment range is 100 to 760 Torr.
(13.3 to 101.08 kPa), which does not require as much capacity as an evacuation apparatus used in the evacuation baking step, and has a low-cost apparatus configuration. The driving circuit 16 is connected to the electrode on the glass substrate 103 side of the PDP 1, and the PDP 1 can be discharged by applying a voltage to the electrode. The example of the configuration of the PDP manufacturing apparatus to which the present invention is applied has been described above.

Next, an embodiment according to the present invention after connection of the present apparatus will be described. When this apparatus is connected, the valves 11, 13 and 15 are all closed. After connecting the PDP 1 to the apparatus, the valve 11 and the valve 15 are opened without evacuating the internal space 18 of the PDP 1, and an aging gas is introduced into the internal space 18 of the PDP 1. Ne gas was used as the aging gas, and was heated to about 300 ° C. using the aging gas heating mechanism 17 and introduced. The aging gas desirably has a large effect of cleaning impurities in the internal space 18 of the PDP 1, and is not limited to Ne.
The aging gas is continuously flowed, but can be reused by purifying the aging gas discharged to the aging gas discharge system 14 by passing it through a gas purifier or the like. There is a gas purifying apparatus that adsorbs impurities by, for example, high-temperature titanium. The introduced aging gas is discharged to the aging gas discharge system 14 via the internal space 18. As described above, the flow rate of the aging gas in a state where the aging gas flows through the internal space 18 of the PDP 1 is controlled by the mass flow controller attached to the aging gas introduction system 10 not shown and the mass flow controller attached to the aging gas discharge system 14 not shown. 10cc-500cc using controller
m, and the pressure in the internal space 18 of the PDP 1 is adjusted to 100 by adjusting the openings of the valves 11 and 15.
It was set to about 760 Torr (13.3 to 101.08 kPa). In this state, the driving circuit 16 sends the PDP 1
Aging is performed to discharge the internal space 18 of the PDP 1 by applying a voltage to the electrodes. At this time, PD
When the temperature of P1 is low, it is expected that impurities in the structure of the internal space 18 of PDP1 will not be sufficiently desorbed. However, PDP1 is heated by the heat of the flowing aging gas and the heat of discharge caused by aging. Thus, desorption of impurities from the structure in the internal space 18 due to heat is promoted. Further, since the PDP 1 is discharged, an impurity gas is released by sputtering. As a result, impurity gas is generated from the structure in the internal space 18 of the PDP 1, and the generated impurity gas is discharged to the aging gas discharge system 14 together with the flowing aging gas. After sufficiently removing impurities from the structure in the internal space 18 and discharging the impurities from the internal space 18, the aging for applying a voltage from the drive circuit 16 to the electrode of the PDP 1 is completed. At this time, since the PDP 1 is in a heated state due to the heat of the aging gas and the heat of the discharge caused by the aging, the aging gas heating mechanism 17 is stopped, and the aging gas at normal temperature flows. After the PDP 1 has been sufficiently cooled, the discharge gas is introduced into the internal space 18 of the PDP 1 by closing the valve 11 and subsequently opening the valve 13. Although a mixed gas of Ne-Xe is used as the discharge gas, the discharge gas is not limited to this. In this embodiment, the aging gas and the discharge gas are different, but there is no problem even if the same gas is used. After the gas in the internal space 18 of the PDP 1 is sufficiently replaced with the discharge gas, the valve 15 and the valve 1
Close 3. At this time, the pressure in the internal space 18 of the PDP 1 is appropriately adjusted. As an adjustment method, first, a gas is sealed from a discharge gas introduction system with the valve 15 closed,
The valve 13 is closed after the pressure is higher than the gas filling pressure. Next, by opening the valve 15, the internal space 18 of the PDP 1 is depressurized using a pump (not shown) embedded in the aging gas discharge system. 1
Adjusted by closing 5. The discharge gas filling pressure is 100 to 760 Torr (13.3 to 101.08).
kPa). Then, the gas introduction pipe 4 and the gas discharge pipe 5 were sealed using a burner (sealing step) to produce a PDP. P fabricated using this method
In DP, since the discharge characteristics of the PDP did not deteriorate in the initial stage of lighting of the PDP, aging after the sealing step in the conventional method was unnecessary. This is considered to be because aging is performed before the sealing, and the sealing is performed after removing the impurity gas released from the structure in the PDP internal space. FIG. 2 shows a simplified flow of this PDP manufacturing process. The removal of impurity gas generated by desorption by heat corresponding to the conventional exhaust baking process and the removal of the impurity gas by sputtering corresponding to the conventional aging process are simultaneously performed, simplifying the PDP manufacturing process. It has become. Further, since the evacuation equipment required in the evacuation baking step is no longer required, the cost of the manufacturing equipment can be reduced. Further, when the characteristics of the PDP manufactured by this method were evaluated, the same discharge characteristics and life characteristics as those of the conventional method were obtained.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the removal of the impurity gas generated by desorption by heat corresponding to the conventional exhaust baking step and the removal of the impurity gas by sputtering corresponding to the discharge corresponding to the conventional aging step Are performed at the same time, the manufacturing process of the PDP can be simplified, and a vacuum evacuation facility conventionally required in the evacuation baking step becomes unnecessary, thereby providing a method of reducing the cost of the manufacturing facility.

[0012]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method of simplifying a PDP manufacturing process and reducing the cost of manufacturing equipment.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a PDP manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a PDP manufacturing process according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a PDP panel.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a conventional PDP manufacturing process.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 plasma display panel 2 gas inlet 3 gas outlet 4 gas inlet 5 gas outlet 6 pipe 7 connection jig 8 pipe 9 connection jig 10 aging gas introduction system 11 valve 12 discharge gas introduction system 13 valve 14 aging gas discharge system 15 Valve 16 Drive circuit 17 Aging gas heating mechanism 18 Internal space 101 Display electrode 102 Display scan electrode 103 Glass substrate 104 Dielectric layer 105 MgO protective film 106 Glass substrate 107 Address electrode 108 Dielectric layer 109 Rib 110 Phosphor

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Hideaki Yasui 1006 Kadoma Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 5C012 AA09 VV02 5C040 FA01 GB03 GB14 HA04 JA24 MA20 MA26 5C058 AA11

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A discharge space is formed by sealing a perimeter of a pair of substrates while having a certain interval, and has a discharge space therein, and gas is introduced into a discharge space in a plasma display panel. A method of manufacturing a plasma display panel having at least two or more discharge gas vents for discharging, wherein in a process of manufacturing the plasma display panel, discharge in the plasma display panel is performed without evacuating a discharge space in the plasma display panel. A method for manufacturing a plasma display panel, comprising: sealing a discharge gas in a space and closing a discharge gas vent. 2. A plasma display panel comprising a pair of substrates opposed to each other. The outer circumference of the pair of substrates is sealed while maintaining a certain interval, so that a discharge space is provided therein, and a gas is introduced into the discharge space in the plasma display panel. A method of manufacturing a plasma display panel having at least two or more discharge gas vents for discharging, wherein in a plasma display panel manufacturing process, electrodes of the plasma display panel are supplied while flowing a discharge gas into a discharge space in the plasma display panel. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a voltage is applied to discharge the plasma display panel. 3. A discharge space is formed by sealing a perimeter of a pair of substrates while keeping a certain interval, and has a discharge space therein, and gas is introduced into a discharge space in a plasma display panel. A method of manufacturing a plasma display panel having at least two discharge gas vents for discharging, wherein a voltage is applied between electrodes of the plasma display panel while flowing a discharge gas into a discharge space in the plasma display panel, and 3. The method of manufacturing a plasma display panel according to claim 1, wherein a discharge gas flowing through the plasma display panel is heated in the aging step of discharging the panel. 4. A discharge space is formed by sealing a perimeter of a pair of substrates while maintaining a certain interval, and has a discharge space therein, and gas is introduced into the discharge space in the plasma display panel. A method of manufacturing a plasma display panel having at least two discharge gas vents for discharging, wherein a voltage is applied between electrodes of the plasma display panel while flowing a discharge gas into a discharge space in the plasma display panel, and The plasma display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein after the aging step of discharging the panel, sealing for closing a discharge gas vent is performed without exposing a discharge space in the plasma display panel to the atmosphere. Manufacturing method. 5. A plasma display panel manufactured by using the manufacturing method according to claim 1.