Gas discharge display apparatus and method for driving the same

Abstract

A plurality of scanning electrodes and a plurality of sustaining electrodes parallel to each other are located on an inner face of a first glass substrate. Each of the scanning electrodes and each of the sustaining electrodes form a pair. A dielectric layer and a protection layer are formed on the first glass substrate in this order, covering the electrodes. A plurality of data electrodes perpendicular to the scanning electrodes and the sustaining electrodes are located on an inner face of a second glass substrate which is located opposed to the first glass substrate with a discharge space interposed therebetween. In an AC-type PDP having such a structure, at least one of the plurality of scanning electrodes and the plurality of sustaining electrodes are divided into a plurality of groups, and pulses having different phases are applied to the electrodes in different groups, thereby causing sustaining discharge. The scanning electrodes and the sustaining electrodes may be comb-like with teeth. The comb-like scanning electrodes and the comb-like sustaining electrodes are opposed to each other with a small gap interposed therebetween in the manner that the teeth thereof are in engagement with each other. In such a case, the data electrodes are located opposed to and in a longitudinal direction of the teeth of the scanning electrodes.