LAUSR

Abstract The modification of the discharge area in flat panel plasma discharge devices having a complex metal oxide protective layer on prolonged aging was demonstrated. In the case of a (Mg,Ca)O protective layer, the discharge area shrank with the discharge intensity reduced during aging. The CaO concentration was increased at the layer surface by the preferential sputtering of MgO, which is promoted by higher Xe levels in the discharge gas. These results indicate that a modified distribution of the secondary electron emission property at the surface due to the compositional change leads to the shrinkage of the discharge area. This work also demonstrated that reducing the permittivity of the dielectric layer under the protective layer expanded the discharge area, thus suppressing the degradation of the discharge intensity in the plasma discharge devices.