JPH09274860A - Plasma display panel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a PDP(plasma display panel) with highly reliable composite electrodes free of rupture and short circuiting. SOLUTION: A groove with almost the same width as that of a bus electrode is formed in a glass substrate 11 and a part of a transparent electrode 15 and a bus electrode 17 are formed in the groove. Or, a bus electrode 17 may be formed in the groove and a transparent electrode 15 may be formed as to cover the bus electrode 17. Moreover, an insulating layer having transparency is formed on a glass substrate 11 and a groove may be formed in the insulating layer. The composite electrode consisting of the transparent electrode 15 and the bus electrode 17 is not affected by the processes following, so that manufacturing process can be shortened and simplified and rupture and short circuit can be prevented.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a plasma display panel (hereinafter referred to as PDP) which is a self-luminous type flat panel display using a gas discharge, and more specifically, a front panel including a transparent electrode and a bus electrode. The present invention relates to a PDP having a composite electrode.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a PDP has a structure in which a pair of regularly arranged electrodes are provided on two opposing glass substrates, and a gas mainly containing Ne, He, Xe or the like is sealed between them. . Then, a voltage is applied between these electrodes, and a discharge is generated in minute cells around the electrodes, so that each cell emits light and display is performed. In order to display information, regularly arranged cells are selectively caused to emit light. There are two types of PDPs, a direct current type (DC type) in which electrodes are exposed to the discharge space and an alternating current type (AC type) in which electrodes are covered with an insulating layer. Both are classified into a refresh driving method and a memory driving method.

FIG. 1 shows an example of the structure of an AC type PDP. This figure shows the front plate and the rear plate separated from each other. As shown, two glass substrates 1 and 2 are arranged in parallel with each other and face each other, and both become the rear plate. The barriers 3 provided on the glass substrate 2 in parallel to each other are held at a constant interval. A composite electrode composed of a transparent electrode 4 and a bus electrode 5 which is a metal electrode is formed in parallel with each other on the back side of the glass substrate 1 which is a front plate, and a dielectric layer 6 is formed so as to cover the composite electrode. Further, a protective layer 7 (MgO layer) is formed thereon. On the other hand, on the front side of the glass substrate 2 serving as a back plate, the address electrodes 8 are formed in parallel with each other and located between the barriers 3 so as to be orthogonal to the composite electrodes. A phosphor 9 is provided so as to cover the. The AC type PDP is of a surface discharge type, and has a structure in which an AC voltage is applied between composite electrodes on a front panel to discharge by an electric field leaking into a space. In this case, since the alternating current is applied, the direction of the electric field changes according to the alternating cycle. Then, the phosphor 9 is caused to emit light by the ultraviolet rays generated by this discharge, and the observer visually recognizes the light transmitted through the front plate.

The composite electrode in the PDP as described above has a high resistance value and cannot be used as an electrode only with the sustain electrode.
A bus electrode, which is a metal electrode, is formed on the transparent electrode in order to reduce the resistance value. As a method of forming these transparent electrodes and bus electrodes, thin film formation and patterning of the thin film by a photolithography process or a combination thereof with a thick film paste is generally used. IT as the material of the transparent electrode
There are O, SnO ₂ , ZnO, etc., and the films are formed by a sputtering method, an ion plating method, a vacuum deposition method, a CVD method, etc., respectively. Then, these thin films are patterned into a desired pattern by a photolithography process to form transparent electrodes, and then metal electrodes which are bus electrodes are formed. Cr / Cu / Cr, Cr / Al / C as bus electrode material
r, Cr / Al, Cr / Cu, Ag, Au, Ni, A
l, Al alloy (for example, Y-doped Al, etc.),
In addition, there are Ag paste, Au paste, Ni paste, and metal paste having photosensitivity with these pastes. These metal materials are formed or applied on the patterned transparent electrode. The film forming method includes a sputtering method, an ion plating method, a vacuum evaporation method, and a CVD method, and the coating method includes a screen printing, a blade coating, a die coating, and a coating with a dispenser. Then, these bus electrode materials are patterned into a desired pattern to complete the composite electrode. However,
It is also possible to form a composite electrode by stacking a transparent electrode and a bus electrode and then patterning the bus electrode and the transparent electrode in this order. After forming the composite electrode in this way, a dielectric layer is formed covering the composite electrode. At that time, the dielectric paste is applied by screen printing, blade coating, die coating or the like, and dried and baked. Further, a protective layer is formed on the dielectric layer. A MgO film is generally used as the protective layer. In this case, MgO is formed by a vacuum thin film method such as vacuum deposition, sputtering or ion plating, or is applied by screen printing, blade coating, roll coating, die coating, spinner or the like.
Form a film.

[0005]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The above-mentioned AC type PDP
In order to insulate the transparent electrode formed on the glass substrate and the bus electrode on the transparent electrode from the discharge space, the dielectric layer is provided to cover the transparent electrode and the dielectric layer. There are such problems. (1) With respect to electrodes, particularly bus electrodes, disconnection, short circuit with adjacent electrodes or misalignment is likely to occur due to thermal contraction of the dielectric paste during firing of the dielectric paste. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a dielectric layer having a low heat shrinkability, the material of the dielectric layer is limited, and the layer structure is multi-layered. If the layer structure is multi-layered, the number of manufacturing steps increases and the structure becomes complicated. (2) When forming the electrodes, a short circuit between the electrodes is likely to occur due to poor patterning. In particular, as the pattern becomes finer, the tendency becomes larger, and a repair process of the electrode is required in a later process, and the fabrication becomes more complicated.

The present invention is intended to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a PDP having a highly reliable composite electrode free from disconnection or short circuit.
Is to provide.

[0007]

To achieve the above object, the first type PDP according to the present invention comprises a composite electrode composed of a transparent electrode and a bus electrode on a glass substrate constituting a front plate. In the PDP, a groove having a width approximately equal to the width of the bus electrode is provided in the glass substrate, and a part of the transparent electrode and the bus electrode are formed in the groove. in this case,
A transparent insulating layer may be provided on the glass substrate, and a groove having the same width as the width of the bus electrode may be provided in the insulating layer.

In order to achieve the same object, a second type PDP according to the present invention is a PDP having a composite electrode composed of a transparent electrode and a bus electrode on a glass substrate which constitutes a front plate. A groove having the same width as the bus electrode is provided on the glass substrate, the bus electrode is formed in the groove, and the transparent electrode is formed so as to cover the bus electrode. In this case, a transparent insulating layer may be provided on the glass substrate, and a groove having the same width as the bus electrode may be provided in the insulating layer.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION First type PD according to the present invention
The procedure of forming a composite electrode on the front plate of P will be described.

First, as shown in FIG. 2A, a liquid photoresist is applied on a glass substrate 11 which is a front plate, or a film-shaped resist (dry film resist) is laminated to form a resist layer 12. To form. Next, as shown in FIG. 2B, the resist layer 12 is exposed through a predetermined mask M, and is subjected to a development process to pattern the resist layer 12 as shown in FIG. 2C. The pattern is almost the same as or slightly smaller than the width of the bus electrode. Then, the glass substrate 11 having the patterned resist layer 12
Is passed through a dry process such as sandblasting or dry etching or a wet process such as hydrofluoric acid treatment to form the groove 13 in the glass substrate 11. For example, FIG. 2D shows a state in which a groove 13 is formed in the glass substrate 11 by performing sandblasting using the resist layer 12 as a mask. It is desirable that the shape of the groove 13 be an inverse taper shape as shown in the figure. The depth of the groove 13 is 5
It is desirable that the width of the bottom portion is about 20 μm and matches the width of the desired bus electrode.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 3A, a transparent conductive film 14 is formed on the glass substrate 11 after the resist film 12 is peeled off. It is preferable to use ITO for the transparent conductive film 14, but SnO ₂ , ZnO or the like may be used instead. The transparent conductive film 14 is formed by a sputtering method, a vacuum deposition method, an ion plating method, a CVD method, or a paste such as a screen printing method or a coating method such as a blade coating method. Next, as shown in FIG. 3B, the transparent conductive film 14 is patterned to form the transparent electrode 15. The patterning may be performed by a usual photolithography process. At that time, it is necessary that the patterned transparent electrode 15 partially covers the groove 13. Ideally, it is desirable that all the desired overlapping portions of the bus electrode and the transparent electrode are present in the groove 13.

After that, as shown in FIG. 3C, a metal film 16 is formed by coating a paste of a metal material which covers the transparent electrode 15 and becomes a bus electrode. The material is Cr /
Cu / Cr, Cr / Al / Cr, Cr / Al, Cr / C
Examples of the material include u, Ag, Au, Ni, Al, an alloy of Al (eg, Y-doped Al, etc.), Ag paste, Au paste, Ni paste, or a metal paste having photosensitivity with these pastes. The coating method may be any of screen printing, die coating, blade coating, and the like. Then, as shown in FIG.
Patterning is performed to form the bus electrode 17. The patterning is performed by a usual photolithography process. At that time, the bus electrode 17 is formed so as to be completely fitted in the groove 13.

When the transparent electrode 15 and the bus electrode 17 are formed in such a structure, the transparent electrode 15 and the bus electrode 17 are in complete contact with each other. Further, the bus electrode 17 will not be disconnected due to the contraction of the dielectric paste when the dielectric layer is formed in the subsequent process.

Although the groove 13 is formed directly in the glass substrate 11 in the above embodiment, a transparent insulating layer may be provided on the glass substrate 11 and the groove may be provided in the insulating layer. The groove provided in this insulating layer can be formed by a dry process such as sandblasting or dry etching as in the case of the glass substrate. When the groove is formed by sandblasting or the like, it is possible even after firing the insulating material, but it is easier to process in the unfired state. There is also a method in which an insulating layer is provided in a pattern on a glass substrate and is baked to form a groove. In this case, a photosensitive insulating material obtained by mixing a photosensitive resin with an insulating material may be used for patterning by exposure and development, or a general insulating material may be used for patterning by printing or the like. When the groove is formed by these methods, the groove can be formed more easily than when the groove is directly formed on the glass substrate.

Next, a second type PDP according to the present invention
The procedure for forming the composite electrode of the front plate will be described.

First, the groove 13 is formed in the glass substrate 11 to be the front plate by the same process as shown in FIG. And
As shown in FIG. 4A, a metal film paste is applied on the glass substrate 11 after the resist film 12 is peeled off to form a metal film 16. The material is Cr / Cu / Cr, Cr / Al / Cr, Cr / Al,
Cr / Cu, Ag, Au, Ni, Al, alloys of Al (for example, Al doped with Y), Ag paste,
Examples include Au paste, Ni paste, and metal paste having photosensitivity with these pastes. The application method is
Any of screen printing, die coating, blade coating and the like may be used. Next, as shown in FIG. 4B, the metal film 16 is patterned to form the bus electrode 17. The patterning is performed by a usual photolithography process. At that time, the bus electrode 17 is formed so as to be completely fitted in the groove 13.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 4C, the transparent conductive film 14 is formed on the glass substrate 11 so as to cover the bus electrodes 17. The materials used and the film forming method are the same as described above. Next, as shown in FIG. 4D, the transparent conductive film 14 is patterned to form the transparent electrode 15. The patterning may be performed by a usual photolithography process. At that time, it is necessary that the patterned transparent electrode 15 partially covers the bus electrode 17.

When the transparent electrode 15 and the bus electrode 17 are formed in such a structure, the transparent electrode 15 and the bus electrode 17 are in complete contact with each other. Further, the bus electrode 17 will not be disconnected due to the contraction of the dielectric paste when the dielectric layer is formed in the subsequent process.

Also in the embodiment of the second type, a transparent insulating layer may be provided on the glass substrate 11 and a groove may be provided in the insulating layer. In this case, it is the same as described above that the groove can be formed more easily than the glass substrate.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, in a PDP having a composite electrode composed of a transparent electrode and a bus electrode on a glass substrate constituting a front plate, the glass substrate serving as the front plate or its glass substrate. A groove having the same width as the width of the bus electrode is provided in the insulating layer provided above, and a part of the transparent electrode and the bus electrode are formed in the groove, or the bus electrode is formed in the groove. Since the transparent electrode is formed so as to cover the bus electrode, the composite electrode is not affected by the subsequent process, which leads to the shortening and simplification of the process, and there is no disconnection or short circuit and it is stable. Since the obtained electrode is obtained, the reliability of the electrode performance is high.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing one configuration example of an AC type plasma display panel in a state where a front plate and a back plate are separated.

FIG. 2 is a first half process drawing for explaining a procedure of forming a composite electrode on a front plate of the first type plasma display panel according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a process chart of the latter half following that of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a second half process chart for explaining the procedure of forming the composite electrode on the front plate of the plasma display panel of the second type according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 2 Glass substrate 3 Barrier 4 Transparent electrode 5 Bus electrode 6 Dielectric layer 7 Protective layer (MgO layer) 8 Address electrode 9 Phosphor 11 Glass substrate 12 Resist layer 13 Groove 14 Transparent conductive film 15 Transparent electrode 16 Metal film 17 Bus electrode

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A plasma display panel comprising a composite electrode composed of a transparent electrode and a bus electrode on a glass substrate constituting a front plate, wherein the glass substrate is provided with a groove having a width substantially equal to the width of the bus electrode. A plasma display panel, characterized in that a transparent electrode and a bus electrode are formed therein. 2. A plasma display panel comprising a composite electrode composed of a transparent electrode and a bus electrode on a glass substrate constituting a front plate, wherein a transparent insulating layer is provided on the glass substrate, and the insulating layer is provided on the insulating layer. A plasma display panel, characterized in that a groove having the same width as the bus electrode is provided, and a part of the transparent electrode and the bus electrode are formed in the groove. 3. A plasma display panel comprising a composite electrode composed of a transparent electrode and a bus electrode on a glass substrate constituting a front plate, wherein the glass substrate is provided with a groove having a width substantially equal to the width of the bus electrode. Forming a bus electrode inside,
A plasma display panel characterized in that a transparent electrode is formed so as to cover the bus electrode. 4. A plasma display panel having a composite electrode composed of a transparent electrode and a bus electrode on a glass substrate constituting a front plate, wherein a transparent insulating layer is provided on the glass substrate, and the insulating layer is formed on the insulating layer. A plasma display panel characterized in that a groove having a width approximately equal to that of the bus electrode is provided, the bus electrode is formed in the groove, and the transparent electrode is formed so as to cover the bus electrode.