ELECTRICAL AND OPTICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF EVAPORABLE-GLASS-DIELECTRIC AC GAS DISPLAY PANELS

The characteristics are presented of a prototype gas display panel fabricated with electron-beam deposited dielectric films. It is shown that panels with a 6- mu m-thick dielectric layer and a 0. 2- mu m-thick MgO layer exhibit short stabilization times (15 min), long life (20,000 h), small drift effects ( less than 0. 5 V), and adequate brightness (21 cd/m**2). The devices have a large dynamic write margin ( greater than 10 V) over a wide pressure range. Dielectric glass layers as thin as 3. 2 mu m were found to be stable. A panel with a small H//2O impurity concentration was used to show that the hydrated MgO surface caused charge leakage and loss of memory margin, while a panel with an air leak confirmed that the surface saturated before the effects of gas contamination were observed.