What is Plasma?

Plasma is often called the "Fourth State of Matter", the other three being solid, liquid and gas. A plasma is a distinct state of matter containing a significant number of electrically charged particles, a number sufficient to affect its electrical properties and behavior. In addition to being important in many aspects of our daily lives, plasmas are estimated to constitute more than 99 percent of the visible universe. In an ordinary gas each atom contains an equal number of positive and negative charges; the positive charges in the nucleus are surrounded by an equal number of negatively charged electrons, and each atom is electrically "neutral". A gas becomes a plasma when the addition of heat or other energy causes a significant number of atoms to release some or all of their electrons. The remaining parts of those atoms are left with a positive charge, and the detached negative electrons are free to move about. Those atoms and the resulting electrically charged gas are said to be "ionized". When enough atoms are ionized to significantly affect the electrical characteristics of the gas, it is a plasma. In many cases interactions between the charged particles and the neutral particles are important in determining the behavior and usefulness of the plasma. The type of atoms in a plasma, the ratio of ionized to neutral particles and the particle energies all result in a broad spectrum of plasma types, characteristics and behaviors. These unique behaviors cause plasmas to be useful in a large and growing number of important applications in our lives.

The plasma behind the plasma TV screen

For the past 75 years, the vast majority of televisions have been built around the same technology: the cathode ray tube (CRT). In a CRT television, a gun fires a beam of electrons (negatively-charged particles) inside a large glass tube. The electrons excite phosphor atoms along the wide end of the tube (the screen), which causes the phosphor atoms to light up. The television image is produced by lighting up different areas of the phosphor coating with different colors at different intensities Cathode ray tubes produce crisp, vibrant images, but they do have a serious drawback: They are bulky. In order to increase the screen width in a CRT set, you also have to increase the length of the tube (to give the scanning electron gun room to reach all parts of the screen). Consequently, any big-screen CRT television is going to weigh a ton and take up a sizable chunk of a room. Recently, a new alternative has popped up on store shelves: the plasma flat panel display. These televisions have wide screens, comparable to the largest CRT sets, but they are only about 6 inches (15 cm) thick. Based on the information in a video signal, the television lights up thousands of tiny dots (called pixels) with a highenergy beam of electrons. In most systems, there are three pixel colors -- red, green and blue -- which are evenly distributed on the screen. By combining these colors in different proportions, the television can produce the entire color spectrum. The basic idea of a plasma display is to illuminate tiny colored fluorescent lights to form an image. Each pixel is made up of three fluorescent lights -- a red light, a green light and a blue light. Just like a CRT television, the plasma display varies the intensities of the different lights to produce a full range of colors.

The central element in a fluorescent light is a plasma, a gas made up of free-flowing ions (electrically charged atoms) and electrons (negatively charged particles). Under normal conditions, a gas is mainly made up of uncharged particles. That is, the individual gas atoms include equal numbers of protons (positively charged particles in the atom's nucleus) and electrons. The negatively charged electrons perfectly balance the positively charged protons, so the atom has a net charge of zero. If you introduce many free electrons into the gas by establishing an electrical voltage across it, the situation changes very quickly. The free electrons collide with the atoms, knocking loose other electrons. With a missing electron, an atom loses its balance. It has a net positive charge, making it an ion. In a plasma with an electrical current running through it, negatively charged particles are rushing toward the positively charged area of the plasma, and positively charged particles are rushing toward the negatively charged area.

In this mad rush, particles are constantly bumping into each other. These collisions excite the gas atoms in the plasma, causing them to release photons of energy Xenon and neon atoms, the atoms used in plasma screens, release light photons when they are excited. Mostly, these atoms release ultraviolet light photons, which are invisible to the human eye. But ultraviolet photons can be used to excite visible light photons, as we'll see in the next section.

Inside the Display

The xenon and neon gas in a plasma television is contained in hundreds of thousands of tiny cells positioned between two plates of glass. Long electrodes are also sandwiched between the glass plates, on both sides of the cells. The address electrodes sit behind the cells,

along the rear glass plate. The transparent display electrodes, which are surrounded by an insulating dielectric material and covered by a magnesium oxide protective layer, are mounted above the cell, along the front glass plate.

Both sets of electrodes extend across the entire screen. The display electrodes are arranged in horizontal rows along the screen and the address electrodes are arranged in vertical columns. As you can see in the diagram below, the vertical and horizontal electrodes form a basic grid.

To ionize the gas in a particular cell, the plasma display's computer charges the electrodes that intersect at that cell. It does this thousands of times in a small fraction of a second, charging each cell in turn. When the intersecting electrodes are charged (with a voltage difference between them), an electric current flows through the gas in the cell. As we saw in the last section, the current creates a rapid flow of charged particles, which stimulates the gas atoms to release ultraviolet photons. The released ultraviolet photons interact with phosphor material coated on the inside wall of the cell. Phosphors are substances that give off light when they are exposed to other light. When an ultraviolet photon hits a phosphor atom in the cell, one of the phosphor's electrons jumps

to a higher energy level and the atom heats up. When the electron falls back to its normal level, it releases energy in the form of a visible light photon.

The phosphors in a plasma display give off colored light when they are excited. Every pixel is made up of three separate subpixel cells, each with different colored phosphors. One subpixel has a red light phosphor, one subpixel has a green light phosphor and one subpixel has a blue light phosphor. These colors blend together to create the overall color of the pixel. By varying the pulses of current flowing through the different cells, the control system can increase or decrease the intensity of each subpixel color to create hundreds of different combinations of red, green and blue. In this way, the control system can produce colors across the entire spectrum. The main advantage of plasma display technology is that you can produce a very wide screen using extremely thin materials. And because each pixel is lit individually, the image is very bright and looks good from almost every angle. The image quality isn't quite up to the standards of the best cathode ray tube sets, but it certainly meets most people's expectations. The biggest drawback of this technology has to be the price. With prices starting at $4,000 and going all the way up past $20,000, these sets aren't exactly flying off the shelves. But as prices fall and technology advances, they may start to edge out the old CRT sets. In the near future, setting up a new TV might be as easy as hanging a picture!

A Note About DTV and HDTV

On April 4, 1997, the FCC ushered in digital television (DTV) by giving 6MHz of spectrum to approximately 1,500 stations for DTV broadcasting. The decree required the three commercial networks in the top ten markets to broadcast digitally by May 1, 1999, with markets 11 through 30 online by November 1, 1999. All stations must broadcast digitally by 2006, when their current analog spectrum is scheduled to revert back to the Fed. While there is only one standard, there are 18 different video formats. The first split is between high definition and standard definition TV. Six of the video formats in the ATSC DTV standard are high definition TV: these are the 1080-line by 1920-pixel formats at 24 and 30 frames per second (1080i) , and at 60 fields per second for interlaced HDTV, and the 720-line by 1280-pixel formats at 24, 30 and 60 fps (720p). The HDTV formats have a 16:9 aspect ratio.

The 12 video formats which compose the remainder are standard definition television -- not high definition. These consist of the 480-line by 704-pixel formats in 16:9 widescreen and 4:3 aspect ratios (at the 24, 30 and 60 pictures per second rates); and the 480-line by 640pixel format at a 4:3 aspect ratio at the same picture rates. The formats which represent HDTV are 1020i and 720p. The "i" and the "p" in the format names refer to interlaced and progressive scanning. In interlaced scanning, half of the lines in a full frame are scanned onto the screen in a sixtieth of a second, followed by the remaining half of the scan lines in the next sixtieth. The odd lines are scanned first, then filled in by the even lines. In an attempt to meet expectations, many plasma manufacturers are building both standards into their units.

PLASMA TV Vs LCD TV
Size: Both LCD TVs and plasma TVs are thin as you could hope for. In screen size plasmas usually run larger though dont usually come in smaller sizes, which is sometimes needed. Viewing Angle: Plasma have a wider viewing angle. Life Span: Both have good lifespan. Issues: Plasma sometimes suffer from burn in effect. LCD TVs are sometimes susceptible to a delay that causes the outline of figures or objects to appear jagged. Color: LCD TVs are renowned for a sharp picture and vibrant color. Plasma TVs are known for a wide range of colors and accurate color reproduction. Brightness: LCD TVs are said to do slightly better in bright-light conditions. Black Levels: Plasma TVs generally produce very black blacks whereas an LCD TV will produce a very dark charcoal gray. Contrast Levels: Plasma TVs, technically, are said to have greater contrast levels. Cost: Prices for both types of TVs are decreasing rapidly. Burn-In Effect For plasma TVs, one of the biggest potential negatives is the burn in effect. Burn in is when an image stays on the screen for an extended period of time and then gets somewhat burned in to the screen. This might happen, for example, when you watch a movie that places black bars on the edges in order to keep the original theater ratio. To avoid this with movies, you can zoom in one click to fill the screen. But burn-in might also occur if you leave your TV on a news channel that runs a news ticker across the bottom. The better plasma TVs have a feature called white flash that allows for correction if burn-in occurs; however using this function is said to shorten the TV's lifespan. For most TV viewers, however, burn-in will not be an issue. Unless you keep your TV constantly tuned to a news channel, or run movies 24 hours a day, you wont have to worry much about this. For LCD TVs, burn-in isnt a problem.

Watching Motion Its generally thought that plasma TVs handle fast-moving action better than LCD TVs. On an LCD TV, when watching a football player moving down the field, for example, it might seem as if the edges of his body are somewhat fuzzy a jagged and blocky line rather than a crisp, clean one. This is a delay caused by the TV not being able to keep up with the action. LCD TVs are improving in this area, however, and the problem lessens considerably when watching high-definition TV. This is something for sports fans, especially, to consider. But many sports fans with a large plasma or LCD TV will already have HDTV. As mentioned, an HDTV signal increases picture quality dramatically.

Pixel Problems Both LCD TVs and plasma TVs may suffer from pixel problems when a pixel is either always on (lit up when the screen is black, for example), or the pixel is always off (black when it should have color or be white). A few dead pixels here and there are not going to be noticeable, and companies usually state that a few dead pixels are allowed. One of the best ways to avoid problems with dead pixels is to go with reputable manufacturers. If you go with a reputable manufacturer, youre less like to have the problem in the first place, and if for some reason you do have the problem, a reputable manufacturer will take care of it.

Life Span

Both LCD TVs and Plasma TVs have a good expected life span, and its getting better all the time. That said, LCD TVs ultimately win in this category because their light source can be replaced. Once a plasma TV has faded, thats pretty much it. Plasma TVs are said to last up to at least 30,000 hours before noticeable depreciation takes place. Some manufacturers are now saying their plasma TVs are testing up to 60,000 hours before any quality is lost. The questions to ask, then, are obvious: How much TV do I watch? And when will I be buying another TV? Even at the low-end mark of 30,000 hours, if you watched TV 10 hours a day, 365 days a year, you would go a little over 8 years before seeing major picture depreciation. If you dropped that number down to 4 hours a day, 365 days a year, youd get over twenty years before seeing depreciation. As was said before, an LCD TV can theoretically last longer than a plasma TV because the light source can be replaced. Replacing the bulbs on an LCD, however, can be quite expensive in itself (a few hundred dollars). By the time youre ready to do that, you might be ready for a new TV anyway. But, if not, an investment of a few hundred dollars will get your old TV back, good as new.

Plasma vs. LCD TVs: Overall Picture Quality Color, Brightness, Black Levels, & Contrast This area is obviously the most subjective of all the areas, but perhaps the most important too. What someones personal taste is will determine what he or she considers to be pleasing. Its this area that will probably determine more than any other which type of TV you get in the end. Its not about saying one is better than the other, but instead, its about saying one has this type of quality about it and the other has that type of quality about it. This is what all the peanut butter vs. jelly nonsense was about in the beginning. They each have their own qualities, and if you cant have both, you have to decide which one you would rather live with. Color In general, most agree that LCD TVs produce sharper pictures with colors that seem more alive. Sounds like a winner automatically, but not necessarily. With plasma TVs, you generally get more realistic colors and a wider range of colors. An LCD TV might be more likely to wow you when you walk in the room, but once you stay in the room for a while, you might prefer the warmth and depth

of the plasma. LCD TVs, you might say, give you a vibrant, primary colors type of feel. Plasma TVs give you subtler, warmer pastels, but perhaps more realistically accurate. Again, its all personal taste. Blondes vs. Brunettes. Tank tops vs. Cardigans. Impressionism vs. Realism. Brightness As for brightness, most would agree that the numbers the manufacturer gives you are nearly worthless. The numbers, even if you were to understand them, arent achieved in real-life conditions with various types of ambient light. Your own particular viewing area will play into this considerably, but most people report LCD TVs doing slightly better in bright-light conditions. Again, going with the general theme here LCD TVs tend to be brighter and more colorful; plasma TVs tend to be warmer with more accurate color reproduction. Black Levels The one area of this section that would seem to go against the generalizations made above is the area of black levels. You might think that LCD TVs, having the reputation for being sharper, would produce deeper, darker blacks. But most agree this isnt so. Producing a deep, dark black on an LCD TV is a somewhat complicated process. Instead of producing a full, deep blackness when required to do so, a very dark gray is produced instead. For many, however, this goes unnoticed, especially after growing used to the sets colors. But it is another check mark in plasma column, and another reason why lovers of plasma TVs are in their corner. Contrast Levels As for contrast levels, you will see all sorts of ratios such as 3000:1. This is a measure of the darkest black compared to the lightest white. Because of plasma TVs ability to produce blacker blacks, they usually win out in this category. Most people see LCD TVs as being more vibrant, however, which would appear to be at least partly related to contrast. So the decision is a personal one, based on personal taste.

Plasma vs. LCD TV Prices Finally, price. At the moment, in general, the price of a large LCD TV is going to be a little more expensive than the same large-sized plasma TV. The caveat with all of LCD TVs negatives, as you may have noticed, is that theyre improving. The same is true here. While plasma TVs have been out on the market for a while and have established something of a reputation, the truth is, LCD TVs are hot in the publics mind at the moment. Maybe thats because theyre new. Maybe its because theyve gotten some good press and good advertising. Whatever the reason, that fact alone will help push manufacturers to lower prices to make them more competitive with plasma TVs. The LCD vs. Plasma battle is already on, but when prices come down even more for each, its going to get fierce. But maybe everyone will win in the end. Unlike computers, where compatibility with other computers is an issue, in the TV market, two competing technologies dont necessarily have to be at odds with each other. Some people will simply have an LCD TV in their homes, and others will have a plasma. No beefs, no

problems, no hard feelings. The LCD vs. Plasma war is only important for those in the buying stage. One last word on prices: Obviously, they can fluctuate quickly, from day to day even. And so listing prices here is almost pointless. Youll need to check a dealer for the latest. A Summary of LCD vs. Plasma TVs
Size

Both LCD TVs and plasma TVs are as thin as you could hope for. In viewable screen size, though LCD TVs are getting bigger everyday, plasmas generally run larger. Once you get into the larger sizes, you will also find a bigger selection among the plasma TVs. Plasma TVs, however, dont generally come in smaller sizes, and sometimes you need a smaller size. Viewing Angle Plasma TVs generally have a larger viewing angle than LCD TVs, however high-end LCD TVs do live up to their claimed 170 viewing angle. Life Span Both LCD TVs and plasma TVs have good lifespan, but LCD TVs can technically last longer because their light source can be replaced. The low end for both LCD TVs and plasma TVs these days is 30,000 hours, with many going up to 60,000 hours before noticeable picture depreciation takes place. Issues with Each Type of TV Burn-in: Plasma TVs have a reputation of occasionally suffering from burn in effect. This is not such a problem for your average user, unless you leave your TV tuned to a channel with a continuous news ticker. A function called white flash can erase the burn in effect, but it takes some life off the TVs lifespan. Watching Motion: LCD TVs can be susceptible to a delay that causes the outline of figures or objects to appear jagged or blocky when in motion. High definition TV greatly reduces this effect. Pixel Problems: Both LCD TVs and plasma TVs can be affected by pixel problems. This is not generally a problem with name brand versions, and if it occurs severely, your warranty will cover it. Color, Brightness, Black Levels, & Contrast Color: LCD TVs are known for their sharp pictures and lively color. An LCD TVs colors are vibrant and can wow you when you walk into a room. Plasma TVs are known for their wide range of colors and their accurate color reproduction. A plasma TVs colors are warm and deep. Brightness: Brightness numbers from manufacturers will mean little because they arent measured under real-life conditions. Your own viewing area will play into this considerably. LCD TVs have the reputation of doing slightly better in bright-light conditions. Black Levels: Plasma TVs generally produce very black blacks whereas an LCD TV will produce a very

dark charcoal gray. The very dark gray that LCD TVs produce is sufficiently dark for most people. Many would take it for black if not told otherwise. Contrast Levels: Plasma TVs, technically, are known to have greater contrast levels than LCD TVs, however many see LCD TVs as being more vibrant, which seems connected to contrast, at least in the mind of most viewers. Cost LCD TVs are generally a little more expensive than plasma TVs when talking about the larger sizes. Prices for both, however, are coming down rapidly.

The 12 Most Important Differences: 1. Plasmas TVs are made of chemical compounds called phosphors. LCD TVs use millions of crystals suspended in a liquid crystal sandwich. 2. You have a wider selection of larger-size TVs with plasmas (though LCDs are catching up). 3. Plasma dont come in smaller sizes, which you will need for places like the kitchen. 4. Plasmas tend to have a wider viewing angle (though, again, LCDs are catching up). 5. Plasmas can suffer from burn-in effect; LCD dont. 6. LCDs can produce a jagged figure when in motion. Plasmas tends to do better. HDTV improves this problem dramatically for both. 7. You can replace the light source with an LCD, thereby bringing your original picture back. With plasmas you cant. 8. LCDs produce sharp, lively colors. Plasmas produce warmer and more accurate colors. 9. LCDs tend to do better in bright-light conditions. 10. Plasmas tend to produce blacker blacks. 11. Plasmas, technically, produce a higher contrast range. 12. At the moment, plasmas tend to run a little cheaper, but this is changing rapidly as LCDs flood into the market.

Plasma vs. LCD TVs: An Analogy And so, back to our peanut butter and jelly analogy. If I can, without seeming too ridiculous, Id like to propose that plasma TVs are like peanut butter and LCD TVs are like jelly. Plasma TVs are like peanut butter because, at least for now, theyre generally bigger (more filling in that way). Their picture, compared to an LCD TVs picture, is also somewhat smoother and creamier, like peanut butter. Plasma TVs arent so much flashy and sweet as they are filling and hearty. Their colors are earthy and authentic. LCD TVs are like jelly in that they are flashy and sweet. LCD TVs are known for their color and vibrancy, their crisp picture. Its this crispness, this type of tanginess that brings to mind the tangy sweetness of jelly, the colorful, clean transparency of it. If you have a sweet tooth, if you favor this particular taste, nothing else is going to satisfy you. Not peanut butter, not hamburger, not even a 20-ounce steak. You need an LCD TV. But if you want a good, down-to-earth, filling meal, a plasma TV is probably your choice. (Warning: Actually ingesting either of the of TVs has been known to cause indigestion.)