PlasmaDisplays

Plasma displays, or plasma display panels (PDPs), are a flat-panel display technology that uses tiny cells filled with noble gases which emit light when ionized. Each cell acts as a pixel and contains a mixture of neon and xenon gas. When a grid of electrodes applies a voltage across a cell, the gas becomes plasma and emits ultraviolet light. This ultraviolet light then excites a phosphor coating on the cell walls, producing red, green, or blue light. By controlling the brightness of each subpixel, full-color images are formed. Plasma displays can offer wide viewing angles and high contrast due to their emissive nature.

Plasma displays were widely marketed in the 2000s for large-screen televisions and professional displays. Their advantages included fast response times and strong black levels compared with early LCDs, enabling high-contrast images. They were typically heavier and consumed more power, especially at large sizes, and were susceptible to image retention or burn-in if static images remained for long periods.

Advances in LCD technology with LED backlighting, along with improved energy efficiency, led to a rapid decline in plasma production by mid-to-late 2010s. Most consumer models were discontinued, and production largely ceased by 2014–2015. Some niche or professional large-format displays and specialized signage continued to use plasma in limited markets, but the technology is now largely superseded by LCD/LED and OLED displays.

Plasma displays offered high native contrast and fast response, but required ventilation and could degrade brightness over time. Lifespan estimates for PDPs are commonly around 60,000 to 100,000 hours under normal use, with performance diminishing as panels age.