The effects of annealing and discharging on the characteristics of MgO thin films prepared by ion beam-assisted deposition as a protective layer of AC-PDP

This study investigated the effects of annealing and discharging on the characteristics of MgO thin films prepared by ion beam-assisted deposition as a protective layer of AC-PDP. By an annealing process at a temperature of 450 ^oC for more than three hours, the crystallinity of the deposited MgO films was improved, but the surface of the (200)-oriented MgO thin films in the vicinity of the discharge electrodes, especially on the inner sides of the electrodes, was subjected to crack formation. The failure mechanism of the (200)-oriented MgO films was due to the compressive stress of MgO films plus the additional compressive stress induced by the differences in the coefficient of thermal expansion between the electrode and the dielectric layer. In the discharging process, all MgO films were eroded unevenly, and the serious erosion occurred near the edges of the discharge electrodes. ATM(atomic force microscopy) images show that the eroded surface of the (200)-oriented MgO thin film is smoother than that of the (111)-oriented film. Also, the (200)-oriented MgO thin film shows an improved ability to resist ion erosion compared to the (111)-oriented film.