Abstract: Provided is a high-efficiency power factor improvement circuit which is capable of simultaneously handling a rectification operation performed by rectifying bridge diodes and a power factor improvement operation and reducing switching loss using a snubber circuit when an input voltage is boosted to a predetermined level. The power factor improvement circuit includes: a boost converter circuit which comprises rectifying bridge diodes that constitute a bridge circuit; and a snubber circuit which reduces switching loss caused due to the reverse recovery current characteristics of the rectifying bridge diodes.

Abstract: Disclosed are an energy recovery apparatus and method for a plasma display panel. The energy recovery apparatus includes a sustain voltage source for supplying a sustain voltage, a panel capacitor formed equivalently at a discharge cell, a first charging circuit for forming a first charging path when one side of the panel capacitor is charged, a second charging circuit for forming a second charging path when the other side of the panel capacitor is charged, a first power circuit for supplying the sustain voltage to the panel capacitor and forming the first charging path, and a second power circuit for supplying a ground voltage generated from a ground voltage source to the panel capacitor and forming the second charging path. The energy recovery apparatus and method according to the present invention can decrease components in number and reduce power consumption and manufacturing cost by charging the other side of the panel capacitor using a charging voltage of one side of the panel capacitor.