KR100516963B1 - Plasma display panel for efficient discharge - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a PDP having a front electrode structure capable of securing an opening ratio of a discharge cell while achieving stability of discharge. The present invention provides an X-holding electrode formed of only an opaque material without transparent electrodes in a unit discharge cell. And a Y-holding electrode, wherein each of the X-holding electrode and the Y-holding electrode includes a terminal electrode part, a main electrode part, and a branch electrode part, respectively. At least one of the branch electrode parts is formed by being divided into at least two electrode parts which are formed to extend in parallel with each other with a predetermined space therebetween, and the space has a size of the electric field strength of the divided electrode parts. It is characterized by.

Description

Plasma display panel for efficient discharge

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a plasma display panel (PDP), and more particularly to a PDP for efficient discharge.

The PDP consists of a front panel and a rear panel, and is filled with discharge gas such as Ne and Xe, and the vacuum ultraviolet rays generated through the gas discharge excite the red (R), green (G), and blue (B) phosphors. To display an image while generating visible light.

PDP is divided into direct current (DC) type and alternating current (AC) type. In the direct current type, an electrode used for applying an external voltage to form a plasma is directly exposed to the plasma so that a conduction current is directly transmitted through the electrode. It is a way to make it flow. DC-type PDP has the advantage of relatively simple structure, but has the disadvantage that the electrode is exposed to the discharge space to have an external resistance for limiting the current.

AC-type PDP is a method in which a displacement current flows because the electrode is covered with a dielectric and is not directly exposed. AC type PDP has the advantage that the current can be limited by covering the electrode with a dielectric, which protects the electrode from ion shock during discharge, so it has a long life compared to the DC type.

AC-type PDP is further divided into a counter discharge type and a surface discharge type according to the electrode structure of the discharge cell. The opposite discharge type has a problem of shortening the lifetime of the phosphor due to the phosphor deterioration due to the ion bombardment, while the surface discharge type overcomes the problem of the opposite structure by collecting the discharge to the opposite side of the phosphor to minimize the degradation of the phosphor. Currently, most PDPs use surface discharge.

Figure 1a is a perspective view showing the front panel structure of the three-electrode surface discharge AC PDP, Figure 1b is a perspective view showing the structure of the back panel.

Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the PDP is formed by stacking thin films constituting cells on the front substrate 110 and the rear substrate 102, which are two different glass substrates, and forming the front and rear plates, respectively. Will be deployed.

Referring to FIG. 1A, in the front plate displaying an image, a plurality of transparent electrodes 114 are disposed on the front substrate 110, and a bus electrode is disposed on the side end side of the adjacent cell on each transparent electrode 114. 112 is disposed. For example, a conductive layer made of a light transmitting material such as indium tin oxide (ITO) is applied to the transparent electrode, and an opaque metal conductive layer such as Cu / Cr / Cu or Ag is applied to the bus electrode.

Two front electrodes of the transparent electrode 114 and the bus electrode 112 are paired in one cell, one of which is called an X-holding electrode and the other of which is called a Y-holding electrode.

The transparent dielectric 116 for limiting the discharge current is covered on the front substrate 110 on which the transparent electrode 114 and the bus electrode 112 are formed. On the transparent dielectric 116, a protective layer 118, such as an MgO layer, for example, for dielectric protection is formed.

Referring to FIG. 1B, a back plate is formed with a plurality of address electrodes (also referred to as data electrodes) 104 orthogonal to the bus electrodes 112 of the front plate on the back substrate 102.

A white dielectric layer 106 is formed on the back substrate 102 on which the address electrode 104 is formed. The white dielectric layer 106 reflects visible light generated in the discharge space while protecting the address electrode 104. Function.

A stripe-shaped partition wall 108 is formed on the white dielectric layer 106 to secure a discharge space, and visible light is emitted on the upper side of the white dielectric layer 106 and the side surface of the partition wall 108, which are cell bottom surfaces. Phosphors 120a, 120b, and 120c are formed.

The discharge cells are separated by the stripe-shaped partition wall 108, and a red phosphor 120b, a green phosphor 120c, and a blue phosphor 120a are coated on each unit discharge cell.

2 is a plan view showing the front electrode of the front panel together with the partition of the rear panel.

As shown in FIG. 2, the plurality of partitions 108 have a stripe shape formed parallel to each other in one direction, and the plurality of transparent electrodes 114 and the plurality of bus electrodes 112 vertically cross the partition 108. It is arranged in parallel with each other in the direction to. The front electrode composed of the transparent electrode 114 and the bus electrode 112 is formed by pairing two X-holding electrodes and a Y-holding electrode in the unit discharge cell region.

3A and 3B are cross-sectional views illustrating a structure of a front electrode of a PDP according to another prior art, which is a technique disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-0018861.

Referring to FIG. 3A, the front electrode is made of only a ladder-shaped metal without a transparent electrode. That is, the X-holding electrode 320 and the Y-holding electrode 330 of the unit discharge cell are each made of only a metal member having a trapezoidal shape without a transparent electrode.

The X-hold electrode 320 includes a terminal electrode part 320a connected to an input terminal part of a driving waveform, and a main electrode part 320b, a terminal electrode part 320a and a main electrode which cause discharge together with the Y-hold electrode. It is composed of a branch electrode portion 320c for connecting the portion (320b). The branch electrode part 320c is located at the center portion of the adjacent partition walls 310 of the rear plate because it plays an important role in achieving stability of discharge.

The Y-hold electrode 330 also includes a terminal electrode part 330a, a main electrode part 330b, and a branch electrode part 330c similarly to the X-hold electrode 320.

Referring to FIG. 3B, the X-holding electrode 320 and the Y-holding electrode 330 are the terminal electrode parts 320a and 330a, the main electrode parts 320b and 330b, and the branch electrode parts 320b and 330c, respectively. Auxiliary electrodes 320d and 330d are further provided. That is, three members are formed in a direction perpendicular to the partition wall, and a member formed in a direction parallel to the partition wall is formed to connect the three members.

Meanwhile, when the front electrode having the structure shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B is applied to a panel, a conductive layer of light transmitting material such as ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) is not required, thereby reducing the manufacturing process and cost of the panel. Although there is a great effect, there is a problem that it is difficult to simultaneously satisfy the aperture ratio and the stability of the discharge.

That is, the discharge gap between the X-hold electrode 320 and the Y-hold electrode 330 is generally called a discharge gap, and the discharge gap must maintain a required distance for stable discharge, and the electrode must also have a required line width. do. In addition, the larger the line width of the electrode is, in order to induce stable discharge without increasing the driving voltage of the electrode.

However, when the line width of the electrode is increased, since the front electrode is a metal of opaque material, the aperture ratio of the discharge cell is significantly reduced, thereby reducing the light emission luminance.

As a result, even if the line width of each member 320a, 320b, 320c required for the trapezoidal sustaining electrode without the transparent electrode is set to the minimum line width in order to achieve stable discharge, there is a problem that the desired aperture ratio cannot be matched. This is a serious problem for panels that require high integration.

An object of the present invention is to provide a PDP having a front electrode structure capable of improving the aperture ratio and the stability of discharge.

One characteristic PDP of the present invention for achieving the above object is provided with an X-holding electrode and a Y-holding electrode formed of a metal of opaque material without a transparent electrode in a unit discharge cell, and the X-holding electrode and Y- A sustain electrode is a front electrode of a plasma display panel including a terminal electrode portion, a main electrode portion, and a branch electrode portion, wherein at least one of the main electrode portion and the branch electrode portion is parallel to each other with a predetermined space therebetween. It is formed by dividing into at least two electrode parts that are formed to be expanded, the space is characterized in that the size of the electric field strength by the divided electrode portion.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art may more easily practice the present invention.

(First embodiment)

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the structure of the front electrode of the PDP according to the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the partition of the rear panel and the front electrodes (X-hold electrode, Y-hold electrode) of the front panel together.

Referring to FIG. 4, the front electrode is provided as a pair of the X-holding electrode 420 and the Y-holding electrode 430 in the unit discharge cell, and the X-holding electrode 420 and the Y-holding electrode 430 are It has a trapezoidal shape without a transparent electrode and extends in a direction perpendicular to the partition walls 410a and 410b of the back plate. The gap between the X-hold electrode 420 and the Y-hold electrode 430 becomes a discharge gap Gap.

The X-hold electrode 420 includes a terminal electrode part 421 connected to an input terminal part of a driving waveform, main electrode parts 422 and 423 which cause discharge together with an address electrode of a Y-hold electrode or a back plate, and a terminal. It is composed of a branch electrode portion 425 connecting the electrode portion 421 and the main electrode portion 422, 423.

The main electrode parts 422 and 423 are connected by the branch electrode part 425, and the first main electrode part 422 and the second main electrode part are formed to extend in parallel with each other with a predetermined space 424 therebetween. It consists of 423.

In the present invention, the space 424 constitutes a virtual electrode, and has a size that is affected by the intensity of the electric field by the first and second main electrode parts 422 and 423.

That is, the distance between the first and second main electrode portions 422 and 423 extending in parallel to each other, that is, the size of the space 424 has a numerical value that the electric field strength can exert. The numerical value is preferably 30 µm to 40 µm, which is about the thickness of the transparent dielectric (116 in FIG. 1A) formed covering the front electrode on the front panel. When the terminal electrode portion 421 and the branch electrode portion 425 each assume that the line width is 50 μm to 70 μm, the line widths of the first and second main electrode parts 422 and 423 are 25 μm to 35 μm. desirable.

The branch electrode part 425 is located at the center of adjacent partitions 410a and 410b of the back plate, because it plays an important role in achieving stability of discharge. The positional error of the branch electrode portion 520c is designed to fall within the range of -50 µm to +50 µm at the central portion of the adjacent partition walls.

The Y-hold electrode 430 also includes a terminal electrode part 431 connected to the input terminal part of the driving waveform, a main electrode part 432 and 433, and a branch electrode part 435, and the Y-hold electrode 430. The main electrode portions 432 and 433 of the first main electrode portions 432 and 433 are connected by the branch electrode portions 435 and are formed to extend in parallel with each other with a predetermined space 434 therebetween. It consists of an electrode part 433.

As described above, in the first embodiment of the present invention, in the structure of the trapezoidal electrode without the transparent electrode, the main electrode part is formed by dividing the spaces 424 and 434 in which the electric field intensity is applied, and the space serves as a virtual electrode. Do it.

Accordingly, the space 424 acts as a virtual electrode to double the wall charge forming space without increasing the width of the electrode, thereby ensuring stability of discharge and securing a desired aperture ratio of the discharge cell.

Second Embodiment

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the structure of the front electrode of the PDP according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and shows the partition of the rear panel and the front electrodes (X-hold electrode, Y-hold electrode) of the front panel together.

Referring to FIG. 5, the front electrode is provided as a pair of the X-hold electrode 520 and the Y-hold electrode 530 in a unit discharge cell, and the X-hold electrode 520 and the Y-hold electrode 530 are It has a trapezoidal shape without a transparent electrode and extends in a direction perpendicular to the partition walls 510a and 510b of the back plate. The gap between the X-hold electrode 520 and the Y-hold electrode 530 becomes a discharge gap Gap.

The X-hold electrode 520 includes a terminal electrode portion 521 connected to an input terminal portion of a driving waveform, a main electrode portion 522 which causes discharge together with an address electrode of a Y-hold electrode or a back plate, and a terminal electrode portion. 521 and branch electrode portions 523 and 524 connecting the main electrode portion 522.

The branch electrode parts 523 and 524 are located at the center of the adjacent partitions 510a and 510b of the back plate, and are -50 μm to +50 μm at the center of the adjacent partitions 510a and 510b in consideration of discharge stability. Design to fall within the range of.

The branch electrode part includes a first branch electrode part 523 and a second branch electrode part 524 formed to extend in parallel with each other with a predetermined space 525 therebetween.

In addition, the space 525 of the present invention constitutes a virtual electrode, and has a size that the intensity of an electric field caused by the first and second branch electrode parts 523 and 524 affects.

That is, the distance between the first and second branch electrode parts 523 and 524 extending parallel to each other in parallel with the partition walls 510a and 510b, that is, the size of the space 525 has a numerical value that may be affected by the electric field strength. . The numerical value is preferably 30 µm to 40 µm, which is about the thickness of the transparent dielectric (116 in FIG. 1A) formed covering the front electrode on the front panel. When the terminal electrode portion 421 and the main electrode portion 422 assume that the line widths are 50 μm to 70 μm, the line widths of the first and second branch electrode parts 523 and 524 are 25 μm to 35. Μm is preferred.

The Y-hold electrode 530 also includes a terminal electrode part 531, a main electrode part 532, and branch electrode parts 523 and 524 that are connected to an input terminal part of a driving waveform, and the Y-hold electrode 530. The branch electrode portions 533 and 534 of the () are composed of a first branch electrode portion 533 and a second branch electrode portion 534 which are formed to extend in parallel with each other with a predetermined space 535 therebetween.

As described above, in the second embodiment of the present invention, in the structure of the trapezoidal electrode without the transparent electrode, the branch electrode portions are formed by dividing the branch electrode portions into the spaces 525 and 535 to which the electric field strength is applied, and the spaces 525 and 535 are The strength of the electric field makes it a virtual electrode.

Therefore, the stability of the discharge can be ensured and the desired aperture ratio can be secured without increasing the actual width of the electrode.

(Third Embodiment)

The third embodiment of the present invention implements the structures of the first and second embodiments described above together. That is, in the structure of the trapezoidal front electrode without the transparent electrode including the terminal electrode part, the main electrode part, and the branch electrode part, the main electrode part and the branch electrode part are formed by dividing into two with a predetermined space therebetween.

In addition, the present invention may be formed by dividing the main electrode portion and the branch electrode portion into two or more, wherein the space between the divided main electrode portions and the space between the branch electrode portions should have a magnitude of the electric field intensity.

In addition, the PDP of the present invention is capable of modifying other components such as partition walls under the structure of the front electrode.

6 shows an example of a method of driving an AC-type PDP having a front electrode structure according to the present invention, wherein the X-hold electrode line X, the Y-hold electrode line Y, and the address electrode line Z are shown in FIG. It shows the voltage waveform applied.

In the conventional PDP driving method, a time for displaying one image is divided into a plurality of frames, and each frame F is divided into a plurality of sub-fields. One frame consists of eight subfields to provide a signal of a display panel.

6 is a voltage waveform diagram applied to each electrode in one subfield. Referring to FIG. 6, one subfield may be divided into an erase period T1, a write period T2, and a sustain period T3 in time.

The erase section T1 is a section initialized by applying pulses to the X-hold electrode line X and the Y-hold electrode line Y by erasing charges generated while the PDP displays previous information.

In the writing section T2, a predetermined voltage is applied between the X-suspension electrode line X and the address electrode line Z with respect to the discharge cell to be lit to cause discharge between the two electrodes. This is called a write discharge, and cations and electrons which are ionized by the write discharge accumulate as wall charges on the dielectric surface of the front panel.

The sustain section T3 is repeatedly executed by applying an alternating electric field to the X-hold electrode line X and the Y-hold electrode line Y. As described above, discharge repeatedly performed between the X-hold electrode line X and the Y-hold electrode line Y by the application of an alternating electric field is called a sustain discharge, and the ultraviolet rays generated by the sustain discharge excite the phosphor to display visible light. This is transmitted through the front plate and radiated to the outside.

The present invention uses a space (virtual electrode) having an electric field strength necessary for forming wall charges in the X-hold electrode line (X) and the Y-hold electrode line (Y). The formation space can be obtained, and the discharge can be continued in the holding section T3, thereby improving the stability of the discharge.

In addition, since the line width of the entire electrode (metal of opaque material) occupying in the discharge cell is not increased, a desired aperture ratio can be secured.

Although the technical idea of the present invention has been described in detail according to the above preferred embodiment, it should be noted that the above-described embodiment is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. In addition, those skilled in the art will understand that various embodiments are possible within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention.

The front electrode structure of the panel according to the present invention has the effect of ensuring the stability of the discharge without lowering the aperture ratio by using a virtual electrode.

Figure 1a is a perspective view showing the front plate structure of the AC type PDP according to the prior art.

Figure 1b is a perspective view showing the structure of the AC-type PDP back plate according to the prior art.

Figure 2 is a plan view showing the front electrode of the front panel with the partition of the rear panel in the prior art.

3A and 3B are plan views showing an improved front electrode structure according to the related art.

4 is a plan view showing a front electrode structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a plan view showing a front electrode structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a rectangular waveform diagram applied to each electrode to drive the panel under the front electrode of FIGS. 4 and 5;

*** Explanation of symbols for main parts of drawing ***

410a, 410b: partition 420: X-holding electrode

430: Y-hold electrode 421, 431: terminal electrode portion

422, 432: main electrode portion 424: space

425 branch electrode

Claims (11)

An X-holding electrode and a Y-holding electrode formed of only an opaque material metal without a transparent electrode in a unit discharge cell are provided. The X-holding electrode and the Y-holding electrode each have a terminal electrode part, a main electrode part, and a branch electrode. In the front electrode of the plasma display panel comprising a portion, The main electrode part of each of the X-hold electrode and the Y-hold electrode is connected to each other by the branch electrode part, and the first main electrode part and the second main electrode part are formed to extend in parallel with each other with a predetermined space therebetween. And the space has a magnitude that the intensity of the electric field caused by the first and second main electrode units affects. The method of claim 1, And the space is substantially the same as the thickness of the transparent dielectric covering the front electrode on the front panel. The method of claim 1, And the space is formed such that a distance between the first main electrode and the second main electrode is 30 μm to 40 μm. The method of claim 1, The line widths of the terminal electrode portion and the branch electrode portion are 50 μm to 70 μm, and the line widths of the first and second main electrode parts are 25 μm to 35 μm. The method of claim 1, And the branch electrode part is positioned at a central portion of adjacent partitions of the rear panel. An X-holding electrode and a Y-holding electrode formed of only an opaque material metal without a transparent electrode in a unit discharge cell are provided. The X-holding electrode and the Y-holding electrode each have a terminal electrode part, a main electrode part, and a branch electrode. In the front electrode of the plasma display panel comprising a portion,  The branch electrode part of each of the X-hold electrode and the Y-hold electrode includes a first branch electrode part and a second branch electrode part formed to extend in parallel with each other with a predetermined space therebetween, and the space includes the first branch electrode part. And a magnitude of an electric field intensity by the second branch electrode part. The method of claim 6, And the space is substantially the same as the thickness of the transparent dielectric covering the front electrode on the front panel. The method of claim 6, And the space is formed such that a distance between the first branch electrode and the second branch electrode is 30 µm to 40 µm. The method of claim 6, The line width of each of the terminal electrode portion and the branch electrode portion is 50 µm to 70 µm, and the line width of each of the first and second branch electrode portions is 25 µm to 35 µm. The method of claim 6, And the branch electrode part is positioned at a central portion of adjacent partitions of the rear panel. An X-holding electrode and a Y-holding electrode formed of only an opaque material metal without a transparent electrode in a unit discharge cell are provided. The X-holding electrode and the Y-holding electrode each have a terminal electrode part, a main electrode part, and a branch electrode. In the front electrode of the plasma display panel comprising a portion, Each of the X-holding electrode and the Y-holding electrode is formed by dividing at least one of the main electrode part and the branch electrode part into at least two electrode parts extending in parallel with each other with a predetermined space therebetween, The space has a size of the electric field strength of the divided electrode portion has a front electrode of the plasma display panel.