| abstract |
A display cell has an upper substrate joined to an intermediate substrate with a specific gap put therebetween; an optoelectric material kept in the gap, and signal electrodes formed on the upper substrate in rows to which are applied image signals. A plasma cell has a lower substrate joined to the intermediate substrate with a specific gap put therebetween for forming an enclosed space, an ionizable gas which fills the enclosed space, and scanning electrodes formed on the lower substrate in columns to generate a plasma discharge. The scanning electrodes are scanned in sequence to write image signals applied to the signal electrodes in the optoelectric material. The gas for generating plasma discharge is composed of a mixture containing an inert component such as Kr or Xe as a main component and a hydrogen component. The inert gas changes, when electric discharging is started, from the ground state to the excited state, and changes, when the electric discharging is stopped, from the excited state to the ground state while being partially kept in a metastable state for a short time. The hydrogen component acts to quickly quench the metastable state of the inert element to accelerate the decay of the electric discharge, thereby making the sequential scanning of the scanning electrodes faster. |