Mechanisms for the degradation of phosphor excitation efficiency by short wavelength vacuum ultraviolet radiation in plasma discharge devices

The mechanism for the degradation of phosphor excitation efficiency in flat panel plasma discharge devices was investigated. We found that remaining organic compounds contained in the binders of phosphors were transformed to vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) absorbing substances over prolonged aging, which reduce the excitation efficiency of a phosphor, especially in the shorter wavelength VUV range. We also demonstrated that re-deposition of a sputtered protective layer on a phosphor further reduced the luminescence excitation efficiency due to the absorption of VUV radiation by the layer.