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Television technology Ior the past 75 years has been based on the technology oI CRT or cathode-ray-
tube. In it there are guns that Iire beams oI electrons, which are particles that are negatively charged
inside a tube, made oI glass. These electrons cause excitement in phosphor atoms located at the screen
end or the end oI the tube that is wide. As a result the phosphor atoms get lighted up. The phosphor
coating being lighted up on diIIerent areas with various colours with dissimilar intensities produces the
image on the screen. The images are sharp and vibrant but the sets are bulky. Thus a big screen will result
in a television set that will take up a good size oI the room! With necessity being the mother oI invention,
this diIIiculty has led to the popping up oI a new technology leading to plasma Ilat panels Ior display.
These sets have wide screen but are only a Iew inches thick.
The Iundamental idea oI the plasma unit is to light up minute coloured lights that are Iluorescent to create
the image. Plasma is the central element in the Iluorescent light. It is a gas that has Iree Ilowing ions and
electrons. Ions are atoms that have been electrically charged and electrons are particles that have been
negatively charged. Normally a gas is made oI uncharged particles. Thus a gas atom usually has equal
number oI protons and electrons atom resulting in zero total charge. But the scene rapidly changes with
the introduction oI Iree electrons in the gas. This leads to the setting up across it oI electrical voltage.
Free electrons clash with the atoms dislodging other electrons. When an electron goes missing the atom
loses its balances. It becomes and ion. In the case oI plasma there is electric current passing through. This
causes particles that are negatively charged to rush to that region oI the plasma that is positively charged;
on the reverse the particles, which are positively, charged hurry towards the area that is negatively
charged.
There is a mad rush and one collides into another constantly. The gas atoms in the plasma get excited.
Photons oI energy are now released. The atoms used in plasma displays are neon and xenon atoms. The
gases oI these are contained in thousands oI tiny cells sandwiched between two glass plates.
Thus to sum up we Iind that the Plasma TV Iorms a picture Irom plasma or gas that is Iilled with atoms oI
xenon and neon as well as innumerable electrically charged electrons and atoms that bump and collide to
release energy or power. The net result is that without extra bulk, the viewing area gets enlarged. Rather
than being Iat the Plasma TV is slim and thin. The quality oI picture is par excellence but the drawback is
that the cost is beyond the reach oI many people.


Lt Rajesh Thapa