Application of Optical Method for Quantitative Investigation of MgO Erosion in AC-PDP

For the quantitative investigation of the erosion of MgO layers in real ac-PDP cells, we constructed a microscopic spectrophotometer which is capable of measuring transmission spectra from the area as small as 20 ${\times}$ 20 ${\mu}m^2$. In the test on the sputtered MgO films with a thickness gradient, we were able to probe the thickness variation of 1000 nm over $1000-{\mu}m$ distance. Using this instrument, we were able to determine not only the erosion rate at the particular position of ac-PDP cells but also the relative erosion rate at different positions in a single ac-PDP cell.