Surface discharge type plasma display panel

Abstract

A surface discharge type plasma display panel has a dielectric layer facing to a discharge gas space and a pair of sustaining electrodes embedded in the dielectric layer and disposed apart from each other by a discharge gap on one of the substrates spaced parallel to each other at the discharge gas space. The dielectric layer includes a pair of first thickness portions formed on far ends of the electrodes from the discharge gap respectively which are larger than a second thickness portion on facing near ends of the facing electrodes. The dielectric layer is provided with a depth from its surface to the substrate larger than that on the second thickness portion between adjacent the electrodes. This plasma display panel prevents any useless expansion of the surface discharge over the sustaining electrodes. The discharge current is reduced and the electrical load on the deriving circuit for the surface discharge PDP decreases to save a power consumption and further the emission efficiency of the surface discharge type PDP is improved.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A surface discharge type plasma display panel comprising: 
       a pair of first and second substrates spaced parallel to each other and sandwiching a discharge gas space;  
       a plurality of pairs of row electrodes extending horizontally and being arranged on an internal surface of said first substrate;  
       each pair of row electrodes including:  
       a pair of transparent electrodes disposed apart from each other to form a discharge gap, and arranged to extend in a horizontal direction; and  
       a pair of bus electrodes respectively formed on or beneath far ends of said transparent electrodes from said discharge gap, and each bus electrode of said pair of bus electrodes having an area smaller that of the transparent electrode;  
       a dielectric layer formed on the internal surface of said first substrate and said plurality of pairs of row electrodes;  
       a plurality of column electrodes extending vertically and arranged on an internal surface of said second substrates; and  
       a plurality of barrier ribs extending vertically and being formed at least between said column electrodes on the internal surface of said second substrate to define a plurality of emission regions in said discharge gas space;  
       wherein said dielectric layer comprises protruding portions each being disposed on a respective one of said bus electrodes overlapped on a respective one of said transparent electrodes, being arranged in the vertical direction, and each having a thickness on said respective one of said bus electrodes being larger than a thickness on other portions of said dielectric layer located on said respective one of said transparent electrodes and between the bus electrodes.  
     
     
       2. A surface discharge type plasma display panel according to  claim 1 comprising: 
       
         a pair of first and second substrates spaced parallel to each other and sandwiching a discharge gas space;  
       
       
         a plurality of pairs of row electrodes extending horizontally and being arranged on an internal surface of said first substrate;  
       
       
         each pair of row electrodes including:  
       
       
         a pair of transparent electrodes disposed apart from each other to form a discharge gap; and  
       
       
         a pair of bus electrodes respectively formed on or beneath far ends of said transparent electrodes from said discharge gap and arranged to extend in a horizontal direction;  
       
       
         a dielectric layer formed on the internal surface of said first substrate and said plurality of pairs of row electrodes:  
       
       
         a plurality of column electrodes extending vertically and arranged on an internal surface of said second substrates; and  
       
       
         a plurality of barrier ribs extending vertically and being formed at least between said column electrodes on the internal surface of said second substrate to define a plurality of emission regions in said discharge gas space;  
       
       
         wherein said dielectric layer comprises protruding portions each being disposed on a respective one of said bus electrodes, and each of said protruding portions having a thickness larger than a thickness of other portions of said dielectric layer; and 
       
       wherein each of said transparent electrodes has notches with expanded portions vertically extending from said bus electrodes.  
     
     
       3. A surface discharge type plasma display panel according to  claim 1 ,  comprising: 
       
         a pair of first and second substrates spaced parallel to each other and sandwiching a discharge gas space;  
       
       
         a plurality of pairs of row electrodes extending horizontally and being arranged on an internal surface of said first substrate;  
       
       
         each pair of row electrodes including;  
       
       
         a pair of transparent electrodes disposed apart from each other to form a discharge gap; and  
       
       
         a pair of bus electrodes respectively formed on or beneath far ends of said transparent electrodes from said discharge gap and arranged to extend in a horizontal direction;  
       
       
         a dielectric layer formed on the internal surface of said first substrate and said plurality of pairs of row electrodes;  
       
       
         a plurality of column electrodes extending vertically and arranged on an internal surface of said second substrates; and  
       
       
         a plurality of barrier ribs extending vertically and being formed at least between said column electrodes on the internal surface of said second substrate to define a plurality of emission regions in said discharge gas space;  
       
       
         wherein said dielectric layer comprises protruding portions each being disposed on a respective one of said bus electrodes, and each of said protruding portions having a thickness larger than a thickness of other portions of said dielectric layer, and 
       
       wherein each of said transparent electrodes is a row of individual island-shaped electrodes connected to said bus electrode.  
     
     
       4. A surface discharge type plasma display panel according to  claim 1 comprising; 
       
         a pair of first and second substrates spaced parallel to each other and sandwiching a discharge gas space;  
       
       
         a plurality of pairs of row electrodes extending horizontally and being arranged on an internal surface of said first substrate;  
       
       
         each pair of row electrodes including:  
       
       
         a pair of transparent electrodes disposed apart from each other to form a discharge gap; and  
       
       
         a pair of bus electrodes respectively formed on or beneath far ends of said transparent electrodes from said discharge gap and arranged to extend in a horizontal direction;  
       
       
         a dielectric layer formed on the internal surface of said first substrate and said plurality of pairs of row electrodes;  
       
       
         a plurality of column electrodes extending vertically and arranged on an internal surface of said second substrates; and  
       
       
         a plurality of barrier ribs extending vertically and being formed at least between said column electrodes on the internal surface of said second substrate to define a plurality of emission regions in said discharge gas space;  
       
       
         wherein said dielectric layer comprises protruding portions each being disposed on a respective one of said bus electrodes, and each of said protruding portions having a thickness larger than a thickness of other portions of said dielectric layer, and 
       
       wherein said dielectric layer further comprises protruding portions disposed and extending in regions, each of said protruding portions vertically extending along the entire length of and  facing a top of a corresponding one of said plurality of barrier ribs.  
     
     
       5. A surface discharge type plasma display panel according to  claim 1 ,  comprising: 
       
         a pair of first and second substrates spaced parallel to each other and sandwiching a discharge gas space;  
       
       
         a plurality of pairs of row electrodes extending horizontally and being arranged on an internal surface of said first substrate;  
       
       
         each pair of row electrodes including:  
       
       
         a pair of transparent electrodes disposed apart from each other to form a discharge gap; and  
       
       
         a pair of bus electrodes respectively formed on or beneath far ends of said transparent electrodes from said discharge gap and arranged to extend in a horizontal direction;  
       
       
         a dielectric layer formed on the internal surface of said first substrate and said plurality of pairs of row electrodes;  
       
       
         a plurality of column electrodes extending vertically and arranged on an internal surface of said second substrates; and  
       
       
         a plurality of barrier ribs extending vertically and being formed at least between said column electrodes on the internal surface of said second substrate to define a plurality of emission regions in said discharge gas space;  
       
       
         wherein said dielectric layer comprises protruding portions each being disposed on a respective one of said bus electrodes, and each of said protruding portions having a thickness larger than a thickness of other portions of said dielectric layer, and  
       
       wherein said protruding portions are colored black or another dark color.  
     
     
       6. A surface discharge type plasma display panel according to  claim 2 , wherein said protruding portions are colored black or another dark color. 
     
     
       7. A surface discharge type plasma display panel according to  claim 3 , wherein said protruding portions are colored black or another dark color. 
     
     
       8. A surface discharge type plasma display panel according to  claim 4 , wherein said protruding portions are colored black or another dark color. 
     
     
       9. A surface discharge type plasma display panel comprising: 
       a pair of first and second substrates spaced parallel to each other and sandwiching a discharge gas space;  
       a plurality of pairs of row electrodes extending horizontally and arranged on an internal surface of said first substrate;  
       each pair of row electrodes including:  
       a pair of transparent electrodes disposed apart from each other to form a discharge gap and arranged to extend in a horizontal direction ; and  
       a pair of bus electrodes respectively formed on or beneath far ends of said transparent electrodes from said discharge gap, and each bus electrode of said pair of bus electrodes having an area smaller that of the transparent electrode  arranged to extend in a horizontal direction;  
       a dielectric layer formed on the internal surface of said first substrate and said row electrodes;  
       a plurality of column electrodes extending vertically and being arranged on an internal surface of said second substrate; and  
       a plurality of barrier ribs extending vertically and formed at least between said column electrodes on the internal surface of said second substrate to define a plurality of emission regions in said discharge gas space;  
       wherein said dielectric layer comprises protruding portions each being disposed on a respective one of said bus electrodes overlapped on a respective one of said transparent electrodes,  as well as between a pair of said row electrodes and each of said protruding portions having a thickness on said respective one of said bus electrodes being  larger than a thickness on other portions of said dielectric layer located on said respective one of said transparent electrodes and between the bus electrodes .  
     
     
       10. A surface discharge type plasma display panel according to  claim 9 , wherein each of said transparent electrodes has expanded portions vertically extending from said bus electrodes. 
     
     
       11. A surface discharge type plasma display panel according to  claim 9 , wherein each of said transparent electrodes has expanded portions vertically extending from said bus electrodes. 
     
     
       12. A surface discharge type plasma display panel according to  claim 9 , wherein said protruding portions are formed only  on said bus electrodes only  in said plurality of emission regions without contacting with said barrier ribs. 
     
     
       13. A surface discharge type plasma display panel according to  claim 9 , wherein said dielectric layer further comprises protruding portions disposed and extending in regions each facing a top of a corresponding one of said plurality of barrier ribs. 
     
     
       14. A surface discharge type plasma display panel according to  claim 9 , wherein said protruding portions are colored black or another dark color. 
     
     
       15. A surface discharge type plasma display panel according to  claim 10 , wherein said protruding portions are colored black or another dark color. 
     
     
       16. A surface discharge type plasma display panel according to  claim 11 , wherein said protruding portions are colored black or another dark color. 
     
     
       17. A surface discharge type plasma display panel according to  claim 12 , wherein said protruding portions are colored black or another black color. 
     
     
       18. A surface discharge type plasma display panel according to  claim 13 , wherein said protruding portions are colored black or another dark color. 
     
     
       19. A surface discharge type plasma display panel comprising: 
       a pair of first and second substrate spaced parallel to each other and sandwiching a discharge gas space;  
       a plurality of pairs of row electrodes extending horizontally and being arranged on an internal surface of said first substrate;  
       each pair of row electrodes including a pair of facing expanded portions vertically extended and disposed apart from each other by discharge gap for sustaining an electric discharge, each of said row electrodes having notches between said facing expanded portions;  
       a dielectric layer formed on the internal surface of said first substrate and said plurality of pairs of row electrodes;  
       a plurality of column electrodes extending vertically and being arranged on an internal surface of said second substrate; and  
       a plurality of barrier ribs extending vertically and being formed at least between said column electrodes on the internal surface of said second substrate to define a plurality of emission regions in said discharge gas space;  
       wherein said dielectric layer includes a pair of first thickness portions, formed on respective far ends of said facing expanded portions which are larger than a second thickness portion formed on respective near ends of said facing expanded portions.  
     
     
       20. A surface discharge type plasma display panel according to  claim 19 , wherein said second thickness portion of said dielectric layer has a depth from its surface to said first substrate facing expanded portions, being larger, than depth of said first thickness portion layer from its surface its surface to said row electrodes. 
     
     
       21. A surface discharge type plasma display panel comprising: 
       
         a pair of first and second substrates spaced parallel to each other and sandwiching a discharge gas space;  
       
       
         a plurality of pairs of row electrodes extending horizontally and being arranged on an internal surface of said first substrate;  
       
       
         a dielectric layer formed on the internal surface of said first substrate and said plurality of pairs of row electrodes;  
       
       
         a plurality of column electrodes extending vertically and arranged on an internal surface of said second substrate;  
       
       
         a plurality of barrier ribs extending vertically and being formed at least between said column electrodes on the internal surface of said second substrate to define a plurality of emission regions in said discharge gas space; and  
       
       
         a fluorescent layer overlying said column electrodes and the side surfaces of said barrier ribs;  
       
       
         wherein said dielectric layer contains a plurality of black or dark colored portions each existing between two vertically neighboring ones of said emission regions. 
       
     
     
       22. A surface discharge type plasma display panel comprising: 
       
         a pair of first and second substrate spaced parallel to each other and sandwiching a discharge gas space;  
       
       
         a plurality of pairs of row electrodes extending horizontally and being arranged on an internal surface of said first substrate;  
       
       
         a dielectric layer formed on the internal surface of said first substrate and said plurality of pairs of row electrodes;  
       
       
         a plurality of column electrodes extending vertically and arranged on an internal surface of said second substrate;  
       
       
         a plurality of barrier ribs extending vertically and being formed at least between said column electrodes on the internal surface of said second substrate to define a plurality of emission regions in said discharge gas space; and  
       
       
         a fluorescent layer overlying said column electrodes and the side surfaces of said barrier ribs;  
       
       
         wherein said dielectric layer contains a plurality of black or dark colored portions each existing between two vertically neighboring respective ones of said row electrodes. 
       
     
     
       23. A surface discharge type plasma display panel comprising: 
       
         a pair of first and second substrate spaced parallel to each other and sandwiching a discharge gas space;  
       
       
         a plurality of pairs of row electrodes extending horizontally and being arranged on an internal surface of said first substrate;  
       
       
         a dielectric layer formed on the internal surface of said first substrate and said plurality of pairs of row electrodes;  
       
       
         a plurality of column electrodes extending vertically and arranged on an internal surface of said second substrate;  
       
       
         a plurality of barrier ribs extending vertically and being formed at least between said column electrodes on the internal surface of said second substrate to define a plurality of emission regions in said discharge gas space; and  
       
       
         a fluorescent layer overlying said column electrodes and the side surfaces of said barrier ribs;  
       
       
         wherein said dielectric layer contains a plurality of black or dark colored portions each confronting the top region of each of said barrier ribs. 
       
     
     
       24. A surface discharge type plasma display panel comprising: 
       
         a pair of first and second substrate spaced parallel to each other and sandwiching a discharge gas space;  
       
       
         a plurality of pairs of row electrodes extending horizontally and being arranged on an internal surface of said first substrate;  
       
       
         a dielectric layer formed on the internal surface of said first substrate and said plurality of pairs of row electrodes;  
       
       
         a plurality of column electrodes extending vertically and arranged on an internal surface of said second substrate;  
       
       
         a plurality of barrier ribs extending vertically and being formed at least between said column electrodes on the internal surface of said second substrate to define a plurality of emission regions in said discharge gas space; and  
       
       
         a fluorescent layer overlying said column electrodes and the side surfaces of said barrier ribs;  
       
       
         wherein said dielectric layer contains a plurality of black or dark colored portions each existing between two vertically neighboring respective ones of said emission regions and confronting each of the top regions of said barrier ribs.