The switching dynamics of the plasma addressed liquid crystal display

The plasma addressed liquid crystal display (PLAC) is a flat, large area, full-colour television and monitor technology made possible through the unique application of the properties of an ionized gas. Liquid crystal displays require an active switching element at the location of each pixel. The PALC display uses a plasma switch to address each of the display pixels, replacing typically used semiconductor devices. The use of the plasma switch permits the manufacture, in very large sizes, of a display possessing excellent image quality. The performance of the PALC display is intrinsically related to the behaviour of the plasma used as the switching element. This paper reviews the trends that led to the development of the PALC display, describes the operating principals, and examines, in detail, one of the many areas of ongoing plasma physics The successful development of a model, which agrees with the measured decay behaviour of the plasma, contributed to a significant improvement in the performance of the PALC display.