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This paper describes the history and science behind the development of modern flat-panel displays, and assesses future trends. Electronic displays are an important feature of modern life. For many years the cathode ray tube, an engineering marvel, was universal, but its shape was cumbersome and its operating voltage too high. The need for a flat-panel display, working at a low voltage, became imperative, and much research has been applied to this need. Any versatile flat-panel display will exploit an electro-optical effect, a transparent conductor and an addressing system to deliver data locally. The first need is to convert an electrical signal into a visible change. Two methods are available, the first giving emission of light, the second modulating ambient illumination. The most useful light-emitting media are semiconductors, historically exploiting III–V or II–VI compounds, but more recently organic or polymer semiconductors. Another possible effect uses gas plasma discharges. The modulating, or subtractive, effects that have been studied include liquid crystals, electrophoresis, electrowetting and electrochromism. A transparent conductor makes it possible to apply a voltage to an extended area while observing the results. The design is a compromise, since the free electrons that carry current also absorb light. The first materials used were metals, but some semiconductors, when heavily doped, give a better balance, with high transmission for a low resistance. Delivering data unambiguously to a million or so picture elements across the display area is no easy task. The preferred solution is an amorphous silicon thin-film transistor deposited at each cross-point in an X–Y matrix. Success in these endeavours has led to many applications for flat-panel displays, including television, flexible displays, electronic paper, electronic books and advertising signs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new cost effective zero-voltage (ZVS) and zero-current switching (ZCS) current-fed energy-recovery display driver for a plasma display panel (PDP) is proposed. It features a simpler structure, less mass, and lower cost of production. Furthermore, since all power switches are turned on or off under ZVS or ZCS, it has several favorable advantages such as an improved electromagnetic interference, low switching losses, and reduced burden on the cooling system. Particularly, since the current source built in the inductor can compensate the large gas-discharge current, main inverter switches have the reduced current stress and turn-on timing margin. Therefore, the undesirable voltage notch problem caused by the improperly controlled gate signal can be solved, which enables the panel to light at lower voltage such as 143 V compared with about 165 V of the prior circuit. To confirm the operation, validity, and features of the proposed circuit, experimental results from a prototype built with a 6-in test PDP are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]