Abstract: Disclosed is an ac plasma display of the type employing three electrodes per pel which is useful for full color displays. A phosphor layer is provided over the cover electrodes and the usual electron emission layer is eliminated or thinned down. An additional pulse is provided to the cover electrodes to aid in charge transfer during the write stage in order to compensate for the absence of significant electron emission.

Abstract: An AC plasma display with enhanced resolution is disclosed. The display includes at least three electrodes per pel with at least one electrode electrically connected in common with other electrodes for the purpose of providing common sustain signals to the pels. The common electrodes are divided into at least two interleaved sets so that adjacent vertical pels can be separately biased during the sustain phase. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, sustain signals are applied in two phases alternatively to the sets of common electrodes. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the sustain signals are applied to both sets simultaneously, but with an opposite polarity.

Abstract: Disclosed is an AC gas plasma display which provides the benefits of a planar display and permits a substantial separation of the write/erase and sustain function circuitry. First and second arrays of parallel electrodes (X.sub.1 -X.sub.3, Y.sub.1 -Y.sub.6) are disposed orthogonally on opposite surfaces within the gas envelope. One of the arrays includes a plurality of adjacent pairs of electrodes, e.g., Y.sub.3 and Y.sub.4, capable of sustaining glow discharges at the crosspoints of the two arrays. A desired area is illuminated or extinguished in a two-step sequence by applying appropriate pulses to selected electrodes in both arrays. For further separation of write/erase and sustain functions, one of the arrays can include a plurality of sets of three adjacent electrodes (Y.sub.1 ', Y.sub.2 ', Y.sub.3 ' of FIG. 10), with write/erase pulses applied to one of the electrodes and sustain pulses applied to the other two electrodes in the set.

Abstract: In a planar ac plasma panel, display cells are formed by the intersection of row and column conductors which are embedded at lower and upper levels, respectively, in a single dielectric layer which adjoins an ionizable display gas. A glow suppression pad, embedded at the upper level, is located adjacent each display cell. The glow suppression pad is capacitively biased from the row and column electrodes at a voltage which prevents unwanted ionization of the display gas between adjacent display cells.

Abstract: In an ac plasma panel, row and column conductors are embedded at lower and upper levels, respectively, in a single dielectric layer on one side of the display gas. Conductive pads, arranged in rows and columns, are embedded in the dielectric layer at the upper level to provide a row and column array of display sites. Electrical signals on each lower level, row conductor are coupled capacitively to the row of pads above it.

Abstract: It has been discovered that the electric field created at an ON site of a planar ac plasma display device in response to the combined sustain and wall voltages propagates along the cathodic electrode during each half cycle of the sustain signal. This means that the electrodes can be made to extend much farther away from the interelectrode gap than was heretofore believed, providing glow paths which extend farther away from the interelectrode gap than have been heretofore provided. Illustrative display devices taking advantage of this discovery include a seven-segment display in which each segment comprises a central electrode and two outer electrodes, and fixed-format displays in which each electrode is formed in the shape of an alphabetic character.