Low-energy cathodoluminescence of ZnO: The ZnO-plasma display

Abstract

A ZnO-plasma display has recently been reported consisting of a ZnO phosphor excited by slow electrons drawn from a He plasma. This paper is concerned with the fabrication techniques and operating characteristics of the ZnO-plasma device and with the life and efficiency of the ZnO phosphor. Operating life well in excess of 10 000 h has been achieved with a brightness decay of only a factor of 2. The total charge density passed through the phosphor during this test was 50 000 C/cm2. Phosphor efficiency was found to be strongly influenced by exposure to atomic hydrogen and atomic oxygen generated in the plasma. By following exposure to atomic hydrogen, phosphor efficiencies as high as 25 lm/W were observed at about 5-eV excitation energy. Conversely, exposure to atomic oxygen reduced the efficiency by as much as two orders of magnitude. A physical model for these effects is presented. © 1974 American Institute of Physics.