Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0050244, filed on Jun. 13, 2005, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     Embodiments of the present invention relate to a plasma display panel, and more particularly to a plasma display panel, which allows scan electrodes performing reset discharge, address discharge, and sustain discharge to have a width or a thickness greater than that of sustain electrodes in order to relatively reduce impedance of the scan electrodes, thereby applying equal driving pulses to both the scan and sustain electrodes during the sustain discharge period, resulting in the improvement of the luminous efficiency of the plasma display panel.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Technology  
         [0005]     As generally known in the art, a plasma display panel refers to a panel used for a plasma display apparatus which is a flat display device. In the plasma display panel, plasma is obtained by performing gas discharge in a discharge gas injected in a discharge space between two opposed substrates. The plasma display panel displays an image by light radiated from fluorescent substances excited by ultraviolet rays created by the plasma. Such a plasma display panel can be classified into an alternating current type plasma display panel or a direct current type plasma display panel, based on its structure and driving principle. Also, a plasma display panel can be classified into a surface discharge type plasma display panel or an opposing discharge type plasma display panel. Recently, the opposing discharge type plasma display panel has been widely researched in order to supply a high definition plasma display panel.  
         [0006]     The general surface discharge type plasma display panel includes a front substrate, a back substrate opposite to the front substrate, and electrodes for discharging electricity.  
         [0007]     The front substrate is generally a glass substrate formed with soda glass to have the thickness of 2.8 mm, so that visible light generated from the fluorescent substance layer can be transmitted through the front substrate. Further, the front substrate has a pair of X and Y electrodes which are arranged on a lower surface of the front substrate to generate sustain discharge. Such electrodes include transparent electrodes formed with Indium Tin Oxide (ITO). A bus electrode is formed below the transparent electrodes. Such a bus electrode has a width narrower than that of the transparent electrodes, and plays a role of compensating for the line resistance of the transparent electrodes. The front substrate has a dielectric layer formed on the lower surface thereof, in order to bury the transparent electrodes and to avoid an exposure of the transparent electrodes, and has a protective layer for protecting the dielectric layer.  
         [0008]     The back substrate has address electrodes which are arranged on an upper surface thereof to intersect with the transparent electrodes of the front substrate. Further, the back substrate has a dielectric layer formed on the upper surface thereof in order to avoid exposure of the address electrodes. Barriers are formed on the upper surface of the back substrate in order to hold a discharge distance and to prevent electric and optical crosstalk between discharge cells. These barriers define the discharge cells, which are formed respectively between the front and back substrates to generate discharge, and which are minimum elements of pixels displaying images on the plasma display panel. Red, green, and blue fluorescent substances are coated on both side surfaces of each barrier defining the discharge cells and on an upper surface of the dielectric layer of the back substrate on which the barriers are not formed, so as to form a unit pixel.  
         [0009]     However, a tri-polar surface discharge type plasma display panel has a large distance between the scan electrode and the address electrode, so as to require a relatively high discharge voltage. The plasma display panel starts the discharge in a region, i.e. at the center of the discharge cell in which the distance between the two electrodes is shortest. Then, the discharge is diffused toward the edge of the electrodes. The reason for this is because discharge starting voltage is low in the center of the discharge cell. When the discharge starts, space charge is formed so that the discharge is held under a voltage level that is lower than the discharge starting voltage. Furthermore, the voltage is gradually lowered between the two electrodes as time passes. After the discharge starts, ions and electrons accumulate at the center of the discharge cells, rendering a low intensity of the electric field and the discharge disappears from the center of the discharge cells. That is, since the voltage is gradually lowered between the two electrodes as time passes, an intensive discharge occurs in the center region of the discharge cell (structure in low luminous efficiency), while a weak discharge occurs at the edge region of the discharge cell (structure in high luminous efficiency). The tri-polar surface discharge type plasma display panel has a low ratio of input energy which is used for heating electrons and which depends on this same principle, thereby having low luminous efficiency.  
         [0010]     Recently, the opposing discharge type plasma display panel has been developed in order to improve a disadvantage of the tri-polar discharge type plasma display panel. This opposing discharge type plasma display panel has a scan electrode and a sustain electrode formed between front and back substrates so as to be opposite to each other, and an address electrode formed on a lower surface of the front substrate or on an upper surface of the back substrate so as to intersect the scan and sustain electrodes. Thus, in comparison with the surface discharge type plasma display panel, the opposing discharge type plasma display panel requires a small area to form the scan and sustain electrodes, so as to supply highly accurate and definite images. Further, since the scan electrode and the sustain electrode are opposite to each other in order to increase opposing area and discharge space, the discharge efficiency of the opposing discharge type plasma display panel can be improved in comparison with that of the surface discharge type plasma display panel.  
         [0011]     In the opposing discharge type plasma display panel, however, the scan electrode performs all of the reset discharge, scan discharge and sustain discharge in a discharge mode in a way which is different from that of the sustain electrode. Therefore, a driving board for driving the scan electrode includes pulse generators which respectively generates reset pulses, scan pulses, and sustain pulses, a circuit portion for applying the sustain pulses, MOSFETs, a switch device for driving a scan driver IC, and the like. On the other hand, a driving board for driving the sustain electrode includes only a pulse generator for generating a sustain pulse, so that it can be made from a small number of elements. The scan electrode driving board has an impedance greater than that of the sustain electrode driving board. This impedance difference between the driving boards is caused by the difference of the pulses applied to the scan electrode and the sustain electrode, respectively. That is, when discharge voltages are applied to the scan electrode and the sustain electrode, the pulses of the applied discharge voltages are partially distorted due to the impedances of each driving board and the electrodes. Specifically, since the scan electrode driving board has relatively high impedance, the pulse of the scan electrode can be relatively and significantly distorted. When the voltage pulse applied to the scan electrode is relatively and significantly distorted so as to differ from the voltage pulse applied to the sustain electrode, it causes the difference in brightness of the light generated during a sustain discharge period. This phenomenon makes it difficult to finely control the brightness of the plasma display panel, in which the brightness of the panel can be determined by the number of the sustain pulses. In the case where the electrodes are arranged in an alternative manner, i.e., the order of sustain electrode-scan electrode-sustain electrode-scan electrode, in the opposing discharge type plasma display panel, this phenomenon causes stripes to be generated on a screen of the panel.  
         [0012]     The above-mentioned problems can be caused in the opposing discharge type plasma display panel as well as in the surface discharge type plasma display panel.  
       SUMMARY OF THE CERTAIN INVENTIVE ASPECTS  
       [0013]     Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention have been made to solve one or more of the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art, and embodiments are directed to provide a plasma display panel which allows scan electrodes performing reset discharge, address discharge, and sustain discharge to have a width or a thickness greater than that of sustain electrodes in order to relatively reduce impedance of the scan electrodes, thereby applying equal driving pulses to both the scan and sustain electrodes during the sustain discharge period, resulting in the improvement of the luminous efficiency of the plasma display panel.  
         [0014]     In order to accomplish this, one aspect of the invention is a plasma display panel comprising: a first substrate and a second substrate facing the first substrate; a back barrier layer including first barriers arranged adjacent to an upper surface of the first substrate in parallel with another barrier in one direction, and second barriers arranged in a direction which intersects the first barriers, the back barrier layer defining a plurality of back discharge spaces; fluorescent substance layers formed in the back discharge spaces; first and second electrodes formed on an upper portion of the first barriers in such a way that they are parallel with the first barriers, the first and second electrodes being alternatively arranged around the back discharge spaces; and a plurality of address electrodes which intersect the first and second electrodes and are substantially parallel with another address electrode on the first substrate, wherein the first electrodes have a width greater than that of the second electrodes.  
         [0015]     In certain embodiments, the second substrate further includes front barrier layers which are formed on a lower surface of the second substrate in order to generally face the back barrier layer and define a plurality of front discharge spaces. The back discharge spaces have reflection type fluorescent substance layers formed in the back discharge spaces, while the front discharge spaces have transmission type fluorescent substance layers formed in the front discharge spaces.  
         [0016]     Further, in other embodiments, the first and second electrodes can be metal. The first electrodes are formed as scan electrodes, and the second electrodes are formed as sustain electrodes. In addition, the first and second electrodes have a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer formed on both sidewalls of the first and second electrodes, respectively. The first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer have MgO protective layers formed on both sidewalls of the first and second dielectric layers.  
         [0017]     The back barrier layers in certain embodiments further comprise auxiliary barriers formed at a desired height on an upper surface of the second barriers in a direction substantially parallel with the second barriers. Preferably, the auxiliary barriers have the same height as that of the dielectric substance layer.  
         [0018]     Furthermore, in various embodiments, the address electrodes are generally arranged in a central region of a lower portion of the back discharge spaces. The first substrate has a third dielectric layer covering the address electrodes.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]     The above and other features and advantages of the claimed embodiments will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.  
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is a partial exploded schematic perspective view showing a plasma display panel according to an embodiment; and  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a sectional view showing the plasma display panel according to one embodiment, taken along a line A-A in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]     Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is a partial exploded schematic perspective view showing a plasma display panel according to an embodiment, and  FIG. 2  is a sectional view showing the plasma display panel according to one embodiment, taken along a line A-A in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0024]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the plasma display panel according to one embodiment includes a first substrate  10  (hereinafter, referred to as a back substrate), a second substrate  20  (hereinafter, referred to as a front substrate), a back barrier layer  30 , first electrodes  40 , second electrodes  50 , address electrodes  60 , and fluorescent substance layers  70 . The front substrate  20  has a front barrier layer  36  provided to an upper surface thereof. The first electrodes  40  and the second electrodes  50  form scan electrodes which perform address discharge and display discharge as well as sustain electrodes which perform the display discharge along with the scan electrodes. Therefore, the first electrodes  40  are referred to as the scan electrodes, and the second electrodes  50  are referred to as the sustain electrodes. Of course, it is understood that the first electrodes  40  may form the sustain electrodes and the second electrodes  50  may be the scan electrodes. The first electrodes  40  have a width greater than that of the second electrodes  50 , while having their total impedance relatively reduced.  
         [0025]     The back substrate  10  faces the front substrate  20  at a predetermined distance. A plurality of discharge spaces  80  are defined by the back barrier layer  30  between the back substrate  10  and the front substrate  20 . Each of the discharge spaces  80  is formed as a discharge cell, including the back discharge space  82  as defined by the back barrier layer  30  and a space defined by the first and second electrodes  40  and  50 . Further, in the case of forming the front barrier layer  36 , the discharge space  80  includes a front discharge space  84  defined by the front barrier layer  36 . The discharge space  80  has a fluorescent substance layer  70  which is coated onto a predetermined region thereof and absorbs vacuum ultraviolet rays so as to emit visual-rays, while being filled with a discharge gas which creates the vacuum ultraviolet rays by plasma discharge. The fluorescent substance layer  70  includes a reflection type fluorescent substance layer  72  formed on the back substrate and a transmission type fluorescent substance layer  74  formed on the front substrate.  
         [0026]     The back substrate  10  can be made of material with a predetermined thickness such as glass, which forms a plasma display panel along with the front substrate  20 . The back substrate  10  has the address electrodes  60  which are arranged in one direction on an upper surface  10   a  of the back substrate  10  facing the front substrate  20 , and a second dielectric layer  62  coated on the upper surface  10   a  of the back substrate  10  to cover the address electrodes  60 . Further, the back barrier layer  30  is formed on the second dielectric layer  62 . A surface of structural elements facing the front substrate  20  (in a +Z direction of  FIG. 1 ) is referred to as an upper surface, while a surface of structural elements facing the back substrate  10  (in a −Z direction of  FIG. 1 ) is referred to as a lower surface.  
         [0027]     The front substrate  20  is formed from a transparent material, such as soda glass, and faces the back substrate  10 . Further, the front substrate  20  has the front barrier layer  36  at a lower surface thereof facing the back substrate  10 .  
         [0028]     The back barrier layer  30  includes first barriers  32  formed in one direction (y direction in  FIG. 1 ) in parallel with each other, and second barriers  34  formed in a direction that intersects the first barriers  32  (x direction in  FIG. 1 ). Furthermore, the back barrier layer  30  may have auxiliary barriers  35  formed on the second barriers  34 . Thus, the back barrier layer  30  can define the back discharge space  82  which is a part of the plural discharge spaces  80  which are capable of creating discharge between the back substrate  10  and the front substrate  20 . The back barrier layer  30  may be formed from glass materials including elements such as Pb, B, Si, Al, O, etc.  
         [0029]     The auxiliary barriers  35  are formed at a desired height on the second barriers  34  so as to be parallel with the second barriers  34 , preferably they may be formed at the identical height of the first and second dielectric layers  47  and  57 . Furthermore, the auxiliary barriers  35  intersect the first and second electrodes  40  and  50  and are connected to the first and second dielectric layers  47  and  57  which are formed outside the first and second electrodes  40  and  50 . Therefore, the auxiliary barriers  35  define the discharge spaces  80  along with the back barrier layer  30 , the first dielectric layer  57 , and the second dielectric layer  57 , depending on their height, and prevent cross talk from occurring between neighboring discharge spaces. The auxiliary barriers  35  may be formed with the same material as that of the back barrier layer  30 . Further, the auxiliary barriers  35  may be made of the same dielectric material as the first and second dielectric layers  47  and  57 .  
         [0030]     The front barrier layer  36  is formed to face the back barrier layer  30  formed on the back substrate  10 . That is, the front barrier layer  36  includes third barriers  37  corresponding to the first barriers  32  of the back barrier layer  30  and fourth barriers  38  corresponding to the second barriers  34  of the back barrier layer  30 . Therefore, the front barrier layer  36  has the front discharge spaces  84  formed on a lower portion thereof, like the back barrier layer  30 . The discharge spaces  80  are defined by the back discharge spaces  82  and the front discharge space  84 . The front barrier layer  36  can be formed, for example, from a glass material. However, the front barrier layer  36  may also be preferably made of the same material as that of the back barrier layer  30 .  
         [0031]     The first and the second electrodes  40  and  50  are arranged on the first barriers  32  of the back barrier layer  30  to be parallel with the first barriers  32 . Furthermore, the first and second electrodes  40  and  50  are alternately arranged beside the discharge spaces  80 . Each of the first and second electrodes  40  and  50  has surfaces defining neighboring discharge spaces  80 . Preferably, the first and second electrodes  40  and  50  have a width smaller than their height when cut in a longitudinal direction. The width means a length in a horizontal direction of the first and second electrodes  40  and  50 , while the height means a length in a vertical direction of the first and second electrodes  40  and  50 . Therefore, the first and second electrodes  40  and  50  perform while facing discharge in a wider area, so as to create more intensive ultraviolet rays, which in turn collide against the fluorescent substance layer  70  of the discharge spaces  80  to increase the intensity of the light. Furthermore, the first electrodes  40  can perform address discharge, along with the address electrodes  60 , in a wider area as described below, thereby causing the address discharge to be more efficiently performed.  
         [0032]     As described above, the first electrodes  40  have a width W 1  (See  FIG. 2 ) greater than the width W 2  of the second electrodes  50 . As described above, since the electrodes used as the scan electrodes generally perform the reset discharge, the scan discharge, and the sustain discharge during a discharge procedure of the plasma display panel, switches for driving a necessary circuit portion, MOSFETs, and a driver are connected to a driving board (not shown) for the first electrodes. Thus, the scan electrodes have a total increasing impedance because of the impedance of the driving board, which has an impedance larger than that of the sustain electrodes. Therefore, the first electrodes  40  have a relative width greater than that of the second electrodes  50  (see  FIG. 2 ) used as the sustain electrodes. When the second electrodes  50  are formed to have identical height, the first electrodes  40 , relatively, have wider sectional area and greater whole volume in proportion with the second electrodes  50 , so as to have reduced impedance. Thus, the first electrodes  40  have reduced impedance and offset the increase of the impedance from the driving board, so as to have impedance similar to the impedance of the second electrodes  50 . As a result, it is possible to reduce the disparity that lies between the pulse of discharge voltage applied to the second electrodes  50  and the impedance of the first electrode. The first electrodes  40  are formed to have a predetermined width in view of the impedance of the second electrodes  50 . The impedance of the first and second electrodes  40  and  50  can be measured using a suitable measuring apparatus. The widths of the first and second electrodes  40  and  50  can be determined based on such a measured result.  
         [0033]     The first and second electrodes  40  and  50  are arranged on the first barriers  32  in such a way that the first and second electrodes  40  and  50  barely cover the whole surface of the discharge spaces, thereby not requiring transparency. The first and second electrodes  40  and  50  may be made from a general conductive metal which differs from the surface discharge type transparent electrodes. The first and second electrodes  40  and  50  are preferably formed from a metal which has excellent conductivity and a low resistance, such as, for example, Ag, Al, and Cu, which have various advantages in that the response speed depends on the discharge, in that signals are not distorted, and power consumption for the sustain discharge can be reduced. It is understood that there are other suitable materials for the first and second electrodes  40  and  50 , and various metals which have excellent conductivity and a lower resistance can be used as the material for the first and second electrodes  40  and  50 .  
         [0034]     The first and second electrodes  40  and  50  have the first and second dielectric layers  47  and  57  which are respective insulation layers on an exterior surface thereof. The first and second dielectric layers  47  and  57  are formed with dielectric material. That is, the first and second dielectric layers  47  and  57  are formed from glass material including elements such as, for example, Pb, B, Si, Al, and O, and are preferably formed from dielectric material including filler such as ZrO 2 , TiO 2 , and Al 2 O 3 , and pigment such as Cr, Cu, Co, and Fe. However, there is no limitation to the component of the back barrier layer  30 . The back barrier layer  30  may be formed from various dielectric materials. The back barrier layer  30  enables the electrodes arranged in the back barrier layer  30  to easily discharge electricity, and prevents the electrodes from being damaged due to collisions of charged particles which are accelerated during the discharge. It is understood that there is no limitation to the material of the first and second dielectric layers  47  and  57 , and the first and second dielectric layers  47  and  57  can be formed from various dielectric materials.  
         [0035]     Furthermore, the first and second dielectric layers  47  and  57  have protective layers  49  and  59  formed on an exterior surface thereof, preferably MgO protective layers including MgO. The MgO protective layers  49  and  59  (see  FIG. 2 ) prevent the first and second dielectric layers  47  and  57  from being damaged during the discharge.  
         [0036]     The address electrodes  60  intersect the first and second electrodes  40  and  50  with insulation, which is arranged in parallel to the first substrate  10 , preferably passing through a center of a lower portion of the discharge spaces  80 . Further, the address electrodes  60  are arranged in parallel on the upper surface  10   a  of the back substrate  10  at a distance from each other corresponding to the distance between the discharge spaces  80 . Further, the address electrodes  60  are covered with third dielectric layer  62 . That is, the third dielectric layer  62  is entirely formed on the back substrate  10  to cover the address electrodes  60 . The third dielectric layer  62  allows the address electrodes  60  to perform discharge and prevents the address electrodes  60  from being damaged due to collisions of the discharged particles which are accelerated during the discharge.  
         [0037]     The fluorescent substance layer  70  includes a first fluorescent substance layer  72  formed in the interior of the back discharge spaces  82  of the discharge spaces  80  and a second fluorescent substance layer  74  formed in the interior of the front discharge spaces  84  of the discharge spaces  80 . However, it is understood that the fluorescent substance layer  70  may include the first fluorescent substance layer  72  formed in the interior of the back discharge spaces  82 . The first fluorescent substance layer  72  is preferably coated on the inner side surfaces of the back barrier layer  30  and the upper surface of the back substrate  10  in the back discharge spaces  80 . The reflection type fluorescent substance layer may be used instead of the first fluorescent substance layer  72 . Thus, the first fluorescent substance layer  72  absorbs vacuum ultraviolet rays, so as to create visual rays, and reflects the visual rays toward the front substrate  20 . The second fluorescent substance layer  74  is coated on the inner side surfaces of the front barrier layer  36  and on the lower surface of the front substrate  20 . Preferably, the transmission type fluorescent may be used instead of the second fluorescent substance layer  74 . Such a second fluorescent substance layer can absorb vacuum ultraviolet rays and transmits visual rays toward the front substrate  20 . Preferably, the fluorescent substance layer  70  is formed such that the transmission type second fluorescent substance layer  74  has a thickness smaller than that of the reflection type first fluorescent substance layer  72 , which is in order to increase the transmittance of the visual rays transmitted through the second fluorescent layer  74  toward the front substrate  20 . That is, the transmittance of the visual rays in the second fluorescent substance layer  74  is generally proportional to the thickness of the fluorescent substance layer. Therefore, the second fluorescent substance layer  74  is formed to have a suitable thickness in view of the radiation efficiency of the discharge cells. However, since the first fluorescent substance layer  72  reflects visual rays, the first fluorescent substance layer  72  is formed to have a sufficient thickness in view of the radiation efficiency of the discharge cells.  
         [0038]     The fluorescent substance layer  70  has components to absorb ultraviolet radiation and to create light such that: a red fluorescent substance layer formed in the discharge cell emitting red light includes a fluorescent substance such as Y(V,P)O 4 :Eu: a green fluorescent substance layer formed in the discharge cell emitting green light includes a fluorescent substance such as Zn 2 SiO 4 :Mn; and a blue fluorescent substance layer formed in the discharge cell emitting blue light includes a fluorescent substance such as BAM:Eu. The fluorescent substance layer  70  is divided into the red fluorescent substance layer, the green fluorescent substance layer, and the blue fluorescent substance layer, which are formed in neighboring discharge spaces  80 , respectively. The neighboring discharge spaces  80 , in which the red fluorescent substance layer, the green fluorescent substance layer, and the blue fluorescent substance layer are respectively formed, are operationally coordinated with one another to achieve a unit pixel with the desired color. Furthermore, the second fluorescent substance layer  74  is formed on the front barrier layer  36  and the front substrate  20  such that only any one of the red, green, and blue fluorescent substance layers is formed on the second barrier. Thus, the first fluorescent substance layer is formed on the back barrier layer  30  to correspond to the color of the second fluorescent substance layer  74 .  
         [0039]     The discharge spaces  80  are defined by the back discharge spaces  82 , the first electrodes  40  which are coated on the first dielectric layer  47 , and the second electrodes  50  which are coated on the second dielectric layer  57 , respectively. Further, in the case where the front barrier layer  36  is formed on a lower surface of the front substrate  20 , the front discharge spaces  84  also define the discharge spaces  80 , respectively. Furthermore, in the case where the auxiliary barriers  35  are formed on the second barriers  34 , the auxiliary barriers  35  can define the discharge spaces. The discharge spaces  80  are filled with discharge gases, for example, mixed gases including Xe, Ne, etc., so that the plasma discharge occurs in the discharge spaces  80 . Furthermore, the discharge spaces  80  have a certain region in which the fluorescent substance layer  70  absorbs the ultraviolet radiation and emits light, as described above. The discharge spaces  80  respectively have a different width or length, depending on their radiation efficiencies. In addition, the discharge spaces  80  have the electrodes arranged on the lower portion thereof in order to perform the address discharge and the sustain discharge, while having the fluorescent substance layer formed thereon. Thus, the radiation efficiency of the discharge spaces  80  is improved.  
         [0040]     Even though the opposite discharge type of plasma display panel has been descried above, it is understood that the present embodiments can also be applied to the surface discharge type of plasma display panel. That is, in the surface discharge type of plasma display panel, the scan electrode and the sustain electrode, which generate a display discharge, include a transparent electrode and a bus electrode which respectively have a desired width and height. The bus electrode which forms the scan electrode may be formed to have a width greater than that of the bus electrode forming the sustain electrode. Further, the transparent electrode forming the scan electrode may be formed to have a width greater than the transparent electrode forming the sustain electrode.  
         [0041]     According to the plasma display panel of the present embodiments, since the scan electrode has a width greater than the sustain electrode, the impedance of the scan electrode is reduced, so as to prevent the waveform of the voltage applied to the scan electrode during the sustain discharge from being distorted. Further, in the plasma display panel of the present embodiments, the voltage applied to the scan electrode during the sustain discharge has nearly the same waveform as that of the discharge voltage applied to the sustain electrode, thereby improving the discharge efficiency of the plasma display panel.  
         [0042]     Although various embodiments have been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions, and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the embodiments as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Technology Category: h