Apparatus and method for generating plasma in a plasma display panel

Abstract

The present invention relates to a plasma generation method of a plasma display panel. The plasma display panel comprises a first substrate and a second substrate positioned in parallel with each other, an ionizable gas filled between the two substrates, and a plurality of first, second, third and fourth electrodes installed on the two substrates. The first and second electrodes are alternately installed in parallel on the first substrate. The third electrodes are installed on the second substrate perpendicular to the first and second electrodes. An area between one of the third electrodes and a pair of neighboring first and second electrodes define a display unit for generating plasma from the ionizable gas in the display unit and driving the plasma. The third electrode of each display unit is used for determining if the plasma within the display unit should remain. The first and second electrodes are used for driving the plasma in the display unit back and forth so as to maintain displays of the display unit. Each of the fourth electrodes is installed close to each of the first electrodes. The plasma generation method comprises charging a predetermined firing voltage between the first and fourth electrodes to transform the ionizable gas in the display unit into an initial plasma, and charging a predetermined voltage between the first and second electrodes for spreading the initial plasma over the display unit.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.