JP3097635B2 - Plasma display panel and driving method thereof - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a plasma display panel used for an information display terminal, a flat panel television, and the like, and more particularly to a plasma display panel for preventing damage to a dielectric layer and unnecessary light emission due to accumulation of unnecessary charges outside a display area on a panel surface. The present invention relates to an electrode structure of a panel for preventing the occurrence and a driving method thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A plasma display panel is a display in which a phosphor is excited and emitted by ultraviolet rays generated by a gas discharge to perform a display operation, and can be classified into an AC type and a DC type according to the form of discharge. AC in this
The type is superior to the DC type in terms of luminance, luminous efficiency and life. Further, among the AC types, the reflection type AC surface discharge type has a luminance,
It is excellent in terms of luminous efficiency. FIG. 6 shows a cross section of an example of a conventional reflection type AC surface discharge color plasma display panel. Discharge electrodes 2 are formed on a front substrate 1 made of transparent glass. A plurality of discharge electrodes 2 are formed in a strip shape in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface. A sustain pulse Psus, which is a pulsed AC voltage of several tens of kHz to several hundreds of kHz, is applied between the adjacent discharge electrodes 2 to obtain a display discharge. Reflection type A
In a C-plane discharge color plasma display panel, tin oxide (SnO ₂ ) or indium tin oxide (IT) is applied to the discharge electrode 2 so that light emission from the phosphor 8 is not blocked.
A transparent conductive film such as O) is used. However, since the sheet resistance of these transparent conductive films is not so low, the electrode resistance of a large-sized panel or a high-precision panel becomes several tens of kΩ or more, and the applied voltage pulse does not sufficiently rise and driving becomes difficult. Therefore, a bus electrode 3 made of a metal thin film such as a multilayer thin film of chromium / copper / chromium or an aluminum thin film or a thick metal film such as silver is formed on a part of the transparent conductive film to reduce the resistance value.

[0003] The discharge electrode 2 is covered with a transparent dielectric layer 4. The dielectric layer 4 has a current limiting function peculiar to the AC plasma display panel. To ensure dielectric strength and ease of manufacture, the dielectric layer 4 is usually coated with a paste mainly composed of low-melting-point lead glass and baked at a high temperature equal to or higher than the softening point temperature to cause reflow, so that air bubbles and the like are formed inside. Is formed to a smooth thickness of about 20 μm to 40 μm which does not contain. The protective layer formed so as to cover the entire dielectric layer 4 is a thin film of MgO formed by vapor deposition or sputtering, or a thick film of MgO formed by printing or spraying. The film thickness is 0.5 μm
From about 1 μm. The role of this protective layer is to reduce the discharge voltage and prevent surface spatter. However, illustration is omitted here.

On the other hand, a data electrode 6 for writing display data is formed on a rear substrate 5 arranged opposite to the front substrate 1. In FIG. 6, the data electrode 6 extends in a direction parallel to the plane of the paper.
It is formed at a position corresponding to each of the green and blue phosphor layers 8. That is, the data electrode 6 is orthogonal to the discharge electrode 2 formed on the front substrate 1. The data electrode 6 is covered with a white dielectric layer 7 formed by printing and firing a thick film paste obtained by mixing a low melting point lead glass and a white pigment. Normally, titanium oxide powder or alumina powder is used for the white pigment. A partition (not shown) is usually formed by thick-film printing on the white dielectric layer 7, and a paste made of a metal oxide powder such as iron, chromium, nickel or the like and a low-melting glass or the like is further formed on the partition. It is colored black by thick film printing or the like to prevent reflection in bright places.
In addition, the above-described barrier ribs also have an effect of preventing erroneous discharge and optical crosstalk between adjacent discharge cells. A plurality of the partition walls are formed in parallel with the paper. Further, phosphors 8 corresponding to red, green, and blue emission colors are applied to the positions of the discharge cells 9 three times for each color. Each phosphor 8 is also formed on the side surface of the partition wall in order to increase the phosphor application area and obtain high luminance. Normally, screen printing is used for forming each phosphor 8. Furthermore, the two substrates 1 and 5 are opposed to each other via a partition so that the discharge electrodes 2 of the front substrate 1 and the data electrodes 6 of the rear substrate 5 are orthogonal to each other, and the periphery thereof is hermetically sealed. A dischargeable gas, for example, a mixed gas of He, Ne and Xe is sealed at a pressure of about 500 torr.

In the color plasma display panel having this configuration, two discharge electrodes are arranged in each discharge cell 9, and a surface discharge occurs between the discharge electrodes to generate plasma in each discharge cell. Red, green,
Exciting the blue phosphor to generate visible light, the front substrate 1
Display light emission is obtained through A pair of adjacent discharge electrodes for generating a surface discharge is composed of a scan electrode 2a and a sustain electrode 2 respectively.
Responsible for b.

An example of actual panel driving will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 7, the driving waveforms include a waveform D applied to the data electrode 7 in order from the top, waveforms S0 to Sn applied to the 0th to nth electrodes of the scanning electrode 2a, which is one electrode of the discharge electrode 2, and the other. The waveform C applied to the sustain electrode 2b which is one electrode is shown. Scan electrode 2a and sustain electrode 2
b, a sustain pulse _PSUS is applied. To generate the address discharge generates a counter discharge by applying a scanning pulse P _V and the data pulse P _D between the scan electrode 2a and the data electrodes 6, the sustain pulse P _SUS that this discharge is subsequently applied It is maintained between the discharge electrodes 2. In order to stabilize the write discharge, after discharge I wave scan pulse P discharge electrode 2 by applying a preliminary discharge pulse P _P prior to application of _V over the entire display area, the erase pulse P _E1, A preliminary discharge sequence is performed in which P _E2 and P _E3 are applied to erase the wall charges on the scan electrode 2a, sustain electrode 2b, and data electrode 6. According to the driving method described above, visible light from the phosphor can be obtained as described above by the sustained discharge, and a desired display can be realized.

According to such a driving method, during the display period, a sustain pulse _PSUS of a rectangular wave of opposite polarity and a negative polarity is continuously applied to the scan electrode 2a and the sustain electrode 2b. Are maintained in the ground state. This is equivalent to applying a negative voltage to the front substrate 1 on the display surface side and applying a positive voltage to the rear substrate 2. Therefore, the dielectric layer 4 of the front substrate 1 is charged with positive charges, and the surface of the white dielectric layer 7 of the rear substrate 5 is charged with negative charges. At this time, in the display area, the charges on the scan electrodes 2a, the sustain electrodes 2b, and the data electrodes 6 are erased because of the above-described preliminary discharge sequence. However, the white dielectric layer 7 on the data electrode 6 outside the display area and the dielectric layer 4 on the front substrate 1
Wall charges accumulate on the top. The potential difference between the accumulated electric charge and the data electrode 6 may cause the dielectric breakdown of the white dielectric layer 7. Further, the damage of the white dielectric 7 causes the data electrode 6 to be exposed to the discharge space 9 and also causes the drive IC connected to the data electrode 6 to be damaged. In addition, since a sudden discharge occurs due to the accumulated charge,
In some cases, a malfunction such as malfunction or deterioration of display quality may occur. In the above, the case where the sustain pulse _PSUS has the negative polarity has been described. However, when the sustain pulse _PSUS has the positive polarity, a charge completely opposite to that described above is charged and the same problem occurs.

In the above-described display panel, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 4-2230 discloses a conventional example for preventing a deterioration in display quality due to unnecessary discharge outside the display area.
No. 25, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-255574, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-97570. JP 4
In the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 223025, the electrode shape (discharge gap) of the display area El of the parallel surface discharge electrodes and the portion E2 outside the display area are the same as described in the publication. For this reason, unnecessary wall charges are accumulated in the dielectric layer outside the display region E2, and unnecessary discharge is generated outside the display region E2. To prevent unnecessary discharge between the surface discharge electrodes of the display region outside E2, by laminating an insulating layer overlaid on the dielectric layer covering the surface discharge electrodes of the display region outside E2,
The discharge voltage outside the display area is set higher than that in the display area to suppress the occurrence of unnecessary discharge. Also, JP-A-8-25557
The technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4 (1999) -1995 discloses a technique in which a dummy electrode is formed at a position facing a surface discharge electrode outside a display area, and a voltage applied to the dummy electrode is maintained at a voltage at which erroneous writing discharge does not occur in the surface discharge electrode. Thus, discharge between the surface discharge electrodes outside the display area is prevented.

In the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-97570, erroneous discharge is suppressed at a dummy electrode formed to prevent deterioration in image quality by aligning dimensions and characteristics inside and outside a display area. As a driving method, a driving method in which surface discharge is caused between dummy electrodes to eliminate wall charges, and a driving method in which the scanning direction of the electrodes is reversed from the previous scanning direction by an integral multiple of the number of subfields to perform scanning. I have. Further, the address electrodes outside the display area of the address electrodes are exposed, and charges are released to the address electrodes to prevent charge accumulation.
Further, as a conventional example for preventing malfunction due to accumulated charge, there is a technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-17928. This technology is an example of an electrode structure in which at least one pair of surface discharge electrodes is provided outside a final surface discharge electrode in a display area, and all the surface discharge electrodes in the display area can be driven under the same conditions. is there.

[0010]

The prior art described above is a technique for preventing unnecessary discharge of a surface discharge electrode outside a display area and a technique for preventing unnecessary discharge on a dummy electrode provided outside a display area. This is a technique for providing a drive margin by adding an auxiliary electrode pair. For this reason, according to this prior art, the white dielectric layer 7 on the data electrode 7 outside the display area and the front substrate 1 facing the data electrode 7 outside the display area are generated in the above-described color plasma display panel. The accumulation of electric charges on the dielectric layer 4 could not be prevented. For this reason, it is difficult to prevent the white dielectric layer 7 from being broken due to the potential difference between the accumulated charge and the data electrode, and to prevent the drive IC from being broken due to the break. In addition, it is difficult to completely prevent a malfunction such that a malfunction or a sudden discharge occurs due to the accumulated charge and the display quality deteriorates.

An object of the present invention is to prevent damage to a white dielectric layer on a data electrode in a portion outside a display area where a surface discharge electrode is not provided in a plasma display panel,
An object of the present invention is to provide a plasma display panel and a method of driving the plasma display panel which can prevent occurrence of a sudden discharge.

[0012]

According to the present invention, in an AC type plasma display panel, at least a region outside a display region on a first insulating substrate on which a scan electrode and a sustain electrode are formed, and a data electrode are provided. An auxiliary electrode is formed in the opposing region, and the auxiliary electrode is formed before the preliminary discharge period.
A means for applying an erase pulse of accumulated charge to the electrode is provided . The auxiliary electrode may include at least a plurality of strip-shaped electrodes and may be covered with a dielectric layer. In the present invention, the display territory on the first of the outer area of the display area of the insulating substrate second insulating substrate
An auxiliary electrode forming a pair to face the respective outer regions of the band and at least a pair formation, the auxiliary electrodes to each other forming the pair
It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which only these are electrically connected . In this case, the opposing auxiliary electrodes are covered with a resistor layer, and are further electrically connected to each other.

In the method of driving a plasma display panel according to the present invention, a scan electrode constituted by one electrode of the surface electrode pair is sequentially scanned, and a desired display is formed between the scan electrode and the data electrode facing the scan electrode. Correspondingly, a writing discharge is generated, and subsequently, an AC sustaining pulse is applied between the pair of surface electrodes to maintain a discharge to perform display, and an auxiliary discharge having a polarity opposite to that of the sustaining pulse is applied to the auxiliary electrode. It is characterized by applying a pulse.

According to the present invention, a counter discharge is periodically generated between the auxiliary electrode and the auxiliary electrode to erase charges accumulated on the white dielectric layer on the data electrode or to periodically change the polarity of the accumulated charge. By inverting, the amount of accumulated charge is suppressed. Further, opposed electrodes are provided, and the accumulated charges on the display surface side and the accumulated charges on the rear surface side are neutralized by the opposed electrodes. For this reason, the absolute value of the electric charge accumulated in the portion outside the display area in the plasma display panel having the conventional structure can be suppressed to a low value, and the electric charge accumulated in the white dielectric layer on the data electrode causes the white dielectric layer to be reduced. Breakage can be prevented, and sudden discharge can be prevented. In addition, by causing the opposing discharge to occur at a relatively low cycle, accumulated charges can be suppressed, unnecessary light emission luminance can be suppressed sufficiently, and display quality can be improved.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a color plasma display panel will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional structure of the color plasma display panel according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Similarly to the structure shown in FIG. 6, a data electrode 6, a white dielectric layer 7, partition walls (not shown), and a phosphor layer 8 are sequentially formed on a rear substrate 5 which is a glass substrate. In addition, the data electrode 6 and the transparent electrode 2 covered with the dielectric layer 4 of the front substrate 1 opposed to the rear substrate 5 with a partition interposed therebetween constitute a discharge cell 9 for obtaining each emission color. . The partition walls are not shown in the figure, but have a pitch of 350 μm and a width of about 80 μm.
It is composed of a plurality of lip-shaped patterns parallel to the paper surface in μm. On the other hand, the transparent electrode 2
A plurality of metal bus electrodes 3 are formed on the substrate, and a display area is defined at intersections with the plurality of data electrodes 6. Here, an auxiliary electrode 10 is formed on the front substrate 1 outside the display area . The auxiliary electrode 10 is covered with the discharge electrode 2 and the dielectric 4 at that time. The auxiliary electrode 10 is made of a metal thin film (0.5 to 1.5 μm thick) such as a chromium / copper / chrome multilayer thin film or an aluminum thin film, or a metal thick film 5 of silver or the like, like the bus electrode 3. -10 μm). Also,
The pattern width is about 3 to 10 mm, and is formed around the display area in a portion where it is difficult to apply a mask or the like without causing sudden discharge to impair the display. The discharge electrode 2 of the front substrate 1 and the data electrode 6 of the rear substrate 5 are opposed to each other via a partition so as to be orthogonal to each other, and the periphery thereof is hermetically sealed. For example, a mixed gas of He, Ne, and Xe is sealed at a pressure of about 500 torr.

The auxiliary electrode 10 in this configuration is different from the conventional configuration in which an electrode is provided outside the display area of the rear substrate 5,
It is characterized in that it is provided so as to face a part of the data electrode 6 on the front substrate 1 and on the rear substrate 5 other than the display area. Thus, since the formed opposite the auxiliary electrode 10 to the data electrodes 6, it is possible to cause discharge between the auxiliary electrode 10 and the data electrodes 6. By controlling the intensity of this discharge, the charge accumulated in the white dielectric layer 7 on the data electrode 6 outside the display area can be reduced, and the polarity of the accumulated charge can be inverted. It is possible to suppress the amount of charges accumulated on the outside data electrode 6.

Next, a driving method in the color plasma display panel of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The drive waveform of FIG.
D, a waveform A applied to the auxiliary electrode 10, a waveform Sn applied to the nth electrode of the scanning electrode 2a which is one electrode of the discharge electrode 2, and a sustain electrode 2b which is the other electrode. 5 shows a waveform C applied to the. In this driving, as in the related art, a negative sustain pulse P _SUS (−150 to −200 V) is applied between the scan electrode 2 a and the sustain electrode 2 b during the sustain period for displaying, and the scan is performed during the write period. applying a negative scan pulse P _W (-150~-200V) and positive data pulse P _D (50 to 100) between the electrodes and the data electrodes 6. Further, during the pre-discharge period, prior to the application of the scanning pulse P _V , the pre-discharge pulse P _P and the erase pulses P _E1 and P _{E2 of} negative polarity (pulse width 1
To ₃ μS), P _E3 (5 to 30 μS wide erase pulse), and a peak value of −100 to −200 V.

Prior to the preliminary discharge period (equivalent to after the sustain period), a waveform A (pulse P _A ) is applied to the auxiliary electrode 10. Pulse P _A positive polarity period square wave pulses of about 200V from the peak value 100V was switching period (vertical synchronization period) and equal to 100 Hz about the display screen. The pulse width is 1 to 100 μS. When the pulse P _A is applied to the auxiliary electrode 10, the negative charge accumulated on the white dielectric layer 7 during the sustain period is superimposed, and an auxiliary discharge (opposite discharge) is generated with the data electrode 6. it can.
The peak value 100 to 1 substantially equal to the starting voltage of the auxiliary discharge
When a voltage of 50 V is applied with a pulse width of 1 to 10 μS, the intensity of discharge can be suppressed. Therefore, the accumulated charge amount on the white dielectric layer 7 and the dielectric layer 4 covering the auxiliary electrode 10 after the discharge is completed is reduced. Can be extinguished. Also,
When the peak value of the pulse Pa is set to a voltage of 150 to 200 V which is sufficiently higher than the discharge starting voltage and applied with a pulse width of 10 to 100 μS, the discharge can be generated sufficiently strongly.
The accumulated charges on the white dielectric layer 7 can be inverted from negative charges before discharge to positive charges. By inverting the stored charge to the positive charge in this way, the stored charge can be neutralized by the stored negative charge, thereby controlling the absolute amount of the stored charge on the white dielectric layer 7 to be small. It is possible to prevent the above-mentioned problems.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. As in the first embodiment, the auxiliary electrode 10 is formed outside the display area on the front substrate 1. The auxiliary electrode 10 has a structure of a surface discharge electrode pair in which two electrodes 10a and 10b are juxtaposed, like the discharge electrode 2 in the display area. Also in this structure, the auxiliary electrode 10
By applying the pulses to a and 10b, the auxiliary discharge generated at the opposing electrodes can be controlled and the absolute amount of the accumulated charges on the white dielectric layer 7 can be controlled to be small as in the first embodiment. In addition, in this configuration, the appearance inside and outside the display area can be made similar, so that the display quality can be further improved, and it is necessary to pay attention to the opening of the exterior of the display device equipped with the panel. Disappears.

FIG. 4 shows waveforms of the driving method according to the second embodiment. A and B in FIG.
0a and 10b. The applied pulses P _A and P _B are positive-polarity square-wave pulses having a peak value of about 100 V to about 200 V, and have a cycle of about 100 Hertz, which is equivalent to a display screen switching cycle (vertical synchronization cycle). Pulse width is 1 ~ 100μS
It is.

A third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. As for the rear substrate 5, a data electrode 6, a white dielectric layer 7, a partition (not shown), and a phosphor layer 8 are sequentially formed on a glass substrate in the same manner as shown in the conventional example of FIG. The discharge cell 9 for obtaining each emission color was composed of the transparent electrode 2 covered with the dielectric layer 4 of the front substrate 1 facing the data electrode 6 via the partition. The partition has a pitch of 350 μm, a width of about 80 μm, and is composed of a plurality of lip-shaped patterns parallel to the paper surface. In this embodiment,
The auxiliary electrode 10B is also formed on the rear substrate 5, and is formed of a metal thin film such as a multilayer thin film of chromium / copper / chrome or an aluminum thin film, or a metal thick film such as silver on a portion outside the display region. A resistor layer 11B containing ruthenium oxide as a main component is laminated thereon. Its resistance is 1
100 KΩ / □.

On the other hand, a plurality of metal bus electrodes 3 are also formed on the front substrate 1 on the transparent electrode 2 as in the conventional case, and a display area is defined at the intersection with the plurality of data electrodes 6. An auxiliary electrode 10A is formed outside the display area. The auxiliary electrode 10A was covered with a resistor layer 11A made of the same material as the resistor layer 11B. Here, the auxiliary electrode 10A is formed of a metal thin film such as a multilayer thin film of chromium / copper / chrome or an aluminum thin film, or a metal thick film such as silver, similarly to the bus electrode 3. Then, the discharge electrode 2 of the front substrate 1 and the data electrode 6 of the rear substrate 5 are opposed to each other via a partition so as to be orthogonal to each other, hermetically sealed around, and a gas that can be discharged into the discharge cell 9, for example, He
And a mixed gas of Ne and Xe was sealed at a pressure of about 500 torr. Further, the auxiliary electrodes 10A and 10B of the front substrate 1 and the rear substrate 5 are electrically connected outside.

This structure is different from the conventional structure in which the amount of electric charge stored on both discharge electrodes outside the display area is limited to prevent generation of extra discharge, and auxiliary electrodes 10A and 10B.
Are electrically connected to the discharge space 9 via the resistor layers 11A and 11B, so that the electric charges accumulated inside the front substrate 1 and the rear substrate 5 during the display maintaining period are neutralized through the external connection. As a result, it is possible to control the absolute amount of electric charge accumulated on the data electrode 6 outside the display area to be low.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, the auxiliary electrode is arranged at a position facing the data electrode outside the display area.
At the same time, before the preliminary discharge period,
By providing means for applying a leaving pulse, an auxiliary discharge using an auxiliary electrode, in other words, a counter discharge is periodically generated to erase charges accumulated on the white dielectric layer on the data electrode. Alternatively, by periodically inverting the polarity of the stored charge, it is possible to obtain a plasma display device having an electrode structure in which the amount of the stored charge is suppressed. In addition, a pair of auxiliary electrodes, which are opposed to the data electrodes outside the display area while being exposed to the discharge space and are electrically connected to each other, are provided, so that the accumulated electric charge of the front substrate and the accumulated electric charge of the rear substrate are provided. The charges can be neutralized by the auxiliary electrode pair, and the absolute value of the charges accumulated in the portion outside the display area of the plasma display panel can be suppressed. Therefore, the present invention can prevent the white dielectric layer from being damaged by the electric charge accumulated in the white dielectric layer on the data electrode, and can prevent the drive IC connected to the data electrode from being damaged. In addition, it is possible to prevent sudden discharges, and to suppress accumulated charges by causing opposing discharges at a relatively low cycle, thereby suppressing unnecessary light emission luminance sufficiently and improving display quality. It is also possible to do.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a first embodiment of a plasma display panel of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a driving waveform diagram of the plasma display panel of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of the plasma display panel of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a driving waveform diagram of the plasma display panel of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a third embodiment of the plasma display panel of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a conventional plasma display panel.

FIG. 7 is a driving waveform diagram of the plasma display panel of FIG.

[Description of Signs] 1 Front substrate (first insulating substrate) 2a Scan electrode 2b Sustain electrode 3 Bus electrode 4 Dielectric layer 5 Rear substrate (second insulating substrate) 6 Data electrode 7 White dielectric layer 8 Phosphor 9 Discharge cell 10, 10A, 10B Auxiliary electrode 11A, 10B Resistor layer

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01J 11/00-11/02 G09G 3/28

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A pair of band-shaped surface electrodes formed in parallel on a first insulating substrate, and the pair of surface electrodes formed on a second insulating substrate opposed to the first insulating substrate. A data electrode formed in a direction perpendicular to the display electrode, forming a display pixel at the intersection of the surface electrode pair and the data electrode, and arranging a plurality of the display pixels to form a display area. Forming an auxiliary electrode at least in a region outside the display region on the first insulating substrate and in a region facing the data electrode;
Before that, an erase pulse of accumulated charge is applied to the auxiliary electrode.
A plasma display panel characterized in that the plasma display panel is provided with means for performing the following . 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary electrode comprises at least a plurality of strip-shaped electrodes and is covered with a dielectric layer.
The plasma display panel of claim 1, wherein. 3. A pair of band-shaped surface electrodes formed in parallel on a first insulating substrate, and the pair of surface electrodes on a second insulating substrate opposed to the first insulating substrate. A data electrode formed in a direction perpendicular to the display electrode, forming a display pixel at the intersection of the surface electrode pair and the data electrode, and arranging a plurality of the display pixels to form a display area. , an auxiliary electrode forming a pair to face the respective outer area of the display value area of the first insulation on the outer region and the second insulating substrate of the display region on the substrate at least a pair formation, said pair Only the auxiliary electrodes
A plasma display panel electrically connected . 4. The plasma display panel according to claim 3, wherein said pair of opposing auxiliary electrodes is covered with a resistor layer. 5. When driving the plasma display panel according to claim 1 or 2, the scanning electrodes constituted by one of the surface electrode pairs are sequentially scanned, and the data facing the scanning electrodes is read. A writing discharge is generated in correspondence with a desired display between the electrodes and a display is performed by applying an AC sustaining pulse between the pair of surface electrodes to maintain the discharge, and the auxiliary electrode is used to perform the display. A method for driving a plasma display panel, comprising applying an auxiliary discharge pulse having a polarity opposite to that of a sustain pulse.