Editing Plasma display (section)

== History ==
=== Early development ===
[[File:Platovterm1981.jpg|thumb|Plasma displays were first used in PLATO computer terminals. This PLATO V model illustrates the display's monochromatic orange glow seen in 1981.<ref>[[Google Book Search|Google books]] – [https://books.google.com/books?id=PaFsMI_e88kC&dq=PLATO+plasma&pg=PA43 Michael Allen's 2008 E-Learning Annual By Michael W. Allen] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413013431/https://books.google.com/books?id=PaFsMI_e88kC&dq=PLATO+plasma&pg=PA43 |date=2023-04-13 }}</ref>]]

[[Kálmán Tihanyi]], a Hungarian engineer, described a proposed flat-panel plasma display system in a 1936 paper.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://seura.com/flat-panel_tv_en.pdf |title=Kalman Tihanyi's plasma television |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140426233227/http://seura.com/flat-panel_tv_en.pdf |archive-date=2014-04-26 |access-date=2014-04-25}}</ref>

The first practical plasma video display was co-invented in 1964 at the [[University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign]] by [[Donald Bitzer]], [[H. Gene Slottow]], and graduate student Robert Willson for the [[PLATO (computer system)|PLATO computer system]].<ref name="plasmaaward">{{cite web|url=http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/news/awards/bitzer2.html|title=Bitzer Wins Emmy Award for Plasma Screen Technology|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304040548/http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/news/awards/bitzer2.html|archive-date=2016-03-04}}</ref><ref name=plasma_invention_alumni>{{cite web|url=https://ece.illinois.edu/newsroom/article/224|title=ECE Alumni wins award for inventing the flat-panel plasma display|date=Oct 23, 2002|access-date=Jan 11, 2018|archive-date=February 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214141258/https://ece.illinois.edu/newsroom/article/224|url-status=live}}</ref> The goal was to create a display that had inherent memory to reduce the cost of the terminals.<ref name="auto1">{{cite journal |last1=Weber |first1=Larry F. |title=History of the Plasma Display Panel |journal=IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science |date=April 2006 |volume=34 |issue=2 |pages=268–278 |doi=10.1109/TPS.2006.872440 |bibcode=2006ITPS...34..268W |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1621302|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The original neon orange monochrome Digivue display panels built by glass producer [[Owens-Illinois]] were very popular in the early 1970s because they were rugged and needed neither memory nor circuitry to refresh the images.<ref>Brian Dear, Chapter 6 – Gas and Glass, [https://books.google.com/books?id=D5ZBDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA92 ''The Friendly Orange Glow''], Pantheon Books, New York, 2017; pages 92-111 cover the development and first stages AC plasma panel commercialization.</ref> A long period of sales decline occurred in the late 1970s because semiconductor memory made CRT displays cheaper than the $2500 [[United States dollar|USD]] {{nowrap|512 × 512}} PLATO plasma displays.<ref>Brian Dear, Chapter 22 – The Business Opportunity, [https://books.google.com/books?id=D5ZBDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA413 The Friendly Orange Glow], Pantheon Books, New York, 2017; pages 413–417 cover CDC's decision to use CRTs with cheap video-RAM instead of plasma panels in 1975.</ref> Nevertheless, the plasma displays' relatively large screen size and 1&nbsp;inch (25.4&nbsp;mm) thickness made them suitable for high-profile placement in lobbies and stock exchanges.

[[Burroughs Corporation]], a maker of adding machines and computers, developed the Panaplex display in the early 1970s. The Panaplex display, generically referred to as a gas-discharge or gas-plasma display,<ref name="Webopedia1">{{cite web|url=http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/G/gas_plasma_display.html|title=What is gas-plasma display?|date=September 1996|publisher=Webopedia|access-date=2009-04-27|archive-date=2009-10-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091015193141/http://webopedia.com/TERM/G/gas_plasma_display.html|url-status=live}}</ref> uses the same technology as later plasma video displays, but began life as a [[seven-segment display]] for use in [[adding machine]]s. They became popular for their bright orange luminous look and found nearly ubiquitous use throughout the late 1970s and into the 1990s in [[cash register]]s, [[calculator]]s, [[pinball machines]], aircraft [[avionics]] such as [[airband|radios]], [[navigation|navigational instruments]], and [[stormscope]]s; test equipment such as [[frequency counter]]s and [[multimeter]]s; and generally anything that previously used [[nixie tube]] or [[numitron]] displays with a high digit-count. These displays were eventually replaced by LEDs because of their low current-draw and module-flexibility, but are still found in some applications where their high brightness is desired, such as pinball machines and avionics.

=== 1980s ===
[[File:Toshiba T3100 Screen Close-Up.jpg|thumb|[[Toshiba T3100]] plasma screen close-up]]

In 1983, [[IBM]] introduced a {{convert|19|in|cm|adj=on}} orange-on-black monochrome display (Model 3290 Information Panel) which was able to show up to four simultaneous [[IBM 3270]] terminal sessions.<ref name=retropaq /> By the end of the decade, orange monochrome plasma displays were used in a number of high-end [[alternating current|AC]]-powered [[portable computer]]s, such as the [[Ericsson Portable PC]] (the first use of such a display in 1985),<ref name=infoworld26>[https://books.google.com/books?id=0y4EAAAAMBAJ&dq=Ericsson+Portable+PC&pg=PA26 News:New Products:The Ericsson Portable PC], InfoWorld, 22 Apr 1985, Page 26</ref> the [[Compaq Portable 386]] (1987) and the [[IBM P75]] (1990). Plasma displays had a better contrast ratio, viewability angle, and less motion blur than the LCDs that were available at the time, and were used until the introduction of active-matrix color LCD displays in 1992.<ref name=retropaq>{{cite web |title=The chronicles of gas-plasma |url=https://www.retropaq.com/the-miracle-of-gas-plasma/ |website=Retropaq.com |date=20 October 2020 |access-date=18 December 2020 |archive-date=2 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202193817/https://www.retropaq.com/the-miracle-of-gas-plasma/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Due to heavy competition from monochrome LCDs used in laptops and the high costs of plasma display technology, in 1987 IBM planned to shut down its factory in Kingston, New York, the largest plasma plant in the world, in favor of manufacturing [[mainframe computer]]s, which would have left development to Japanese companies.<ref name="news.cnet.com">[http://news.cnet.com/Getting-a-charge-out-of-plasma-TV/2100-1041_3-6191482.html Ogg, E., "Getting a charge out of plasma TV"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103073146/http://news.cnet.com/Getting-a-charge-out-of-plasma-TV/2100-1041_3-6191482.html |date=2013-11-03 }}, CNET News, June 18, 2007, retrieved 2008-11-24.</ref> Dr. [[Larry F. Weber]], a [[University of Illinois]] ECE PhD (in plasma display research) and staff scientist working at CERL (home of the [[PLATO System]]), co-founded Plasmaco with [[Stephen Globus]] and IBM plant manager James Kehoe, and bought the plant from IBM for US$50,000. Weber stayed in Urbana as CTO until 1990, then moved to upstate New York to work at Plasmaco.

=== 1990s ===

In 1992, [[Fujitsu]] introduced the world's first {{convert|21|in|cm|adj=on}} full-color display. It was based on technology created at the [[University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign]] and [[NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories]].

In 1994, Weber demonstrated a color plasma display at an industry convention in San Jose. [[Panasonic Corporation]] began a joint development project with Plasmaco, which led in 1996 to the purchase of Plasmaco, its color AC technology, and its American factory for US$26 million.

In 1995, Fujitsu introduced the first {{convert|42|in|cm|0|adj=on}} plasma display panel;<ref name=ergwnyu>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3EZWAAAAIBAJ&pg=6111%2C5949387 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=Associated Press |last=Thurber |first=David |title=Flat screen TVs coming soon to a wall near you |date=August 25, 1995 |page=9C |access-date=October 17, 2020 |archive-date=November 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211101220326/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3EZWAAAAIBAJ&pg=6111%2C5949387 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>Weber, L. F., "History of the Plasma Display Panel," IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, Vol. 34, No. 2, (April, 2006), pp.268-278.</ref> it had 852×480 resolution and was progressively scanned.<ref>[http://www.tech-notes.tv/Archive/tech_notes_004.htm Mendrala, Jim, "Flat Panel Plasma Display"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190105080207/http://www.tech-notes.tv/Archive/tech_notes_004.htm |date=2019-01-05 }}, ''North West Tech Notes'', No. 4, June 15, 1997, retrieved 2009-01-29.</ref> Two years later, at the [[Customer Electronics Show 1997]] and CeBIT, [[Philips]] introduced the first large commercially available flat-panel TV, using the Fujitsu panels. Philips had plans to sell it for 70,000 french francs.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.lesechos.fr/1997/04/philips-et-thomson-en-position-dattente-811858 | title=Philips et Thomson en position d'attente | date=9 April 1997 | access-date=28 February 2023 | archive-date=28 February 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230228221220/https://www.lesechos.fr/1997/04/philips-et-thomson-en-position-dattente-811858 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rtf1.de/news.php?id=18644 | title=20 Jahre Flachbildfernseher - OLED und 4K momentan Spitze der Entwicklung | access-date=2023-02-28 | archive-date=2023-02-28 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230228221219/https://www.rtf1.de/news.php?id=18644 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://pr.fujitsu.com/jp/news/1996/Nov/28-e.html | title=Fujitsu is World's First to Mass Produce 42-inch Color Plasma Display Panels | access-date=2023-02-28 | archive-date=2023-04-13 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413013644/https://pr.fujitsu.com/jp/news/1996/Nov/28-e.html | url-status=live }}</ref> It was released as the Philips 42PW9962, and available at four [[Sears]] locations in the United States, for the price of $14,999,<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-central-new-jersey-home-news-sept-19/55169132/ |title=Sept 19 1999 |newspaper=The Central New Jersey Home News |date=19 September 1999 |page=348 |access-date=2024-01-28 |archive-date=2024-01-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240128031808/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-central-new-jersey-home-news-sept-19/55169132/ |url-status=live }}</ref> including in-home installation. [[Pioneer Corporation|Pioneer]] and Fujitsu<ref>{{cite web | url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/amp/the-consumer-electronics-hall-of-fame-fujitsu-plasma-tv-2650278872 | title=The Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame: Fujitsu Plasma TV | access-date=2023-02-28 | archive-date=2023-02-28 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230228221345/https://spectrum.ieee.org/amp/the-consumer-electronics-hall-of-fame-fujitsu-plasma-tv-2650278872 | url-status=live }}</ref> also began selling plasma televisions that year, and other manufacturers followed. By the year 2000 prices had dropped to $10,000.

=== 2000s ===
[[File:Evolution of 21st century plasma displays.jpg|thumb|upright=.75|Plasma displays became 75% thinner between 2006 and 2011.]]

In the year 2000, the first 60-inch (152-cm) plasma display was developed by Plasmaco. Panasonic was also reported to have developed a process to make plasma displays using ordinary window glass instead of the much more expensive "high strain point" glass.<ref>{{Cite news|url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB967587676614566981#:~:text=When%20plasma%2Dgas%20technology%20was,quality%20standards%20for%20the%20sets.|title = Passion for Plasma Fuels Creation of First 60-Inch Flat-Screen TV|newspaper = The Wall Street Journal|date = 30 August 2000|access-date = 23 September 2020|archive-date = 10 January 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210110165121/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB967587676614566981#:~:text=When%20plasma%2Dgas%20technology%20was,quality%20standards%20for%20the%20sets.|url-status = live}}</ref> High strain point glass is made similarly to conventional float glass, but it is more heat resistant, deforming at higher temperatures. High strain point glass is normally necessary because plasma displays have to be baked during manufacture to dry the rare-earth phosphors after they are applied to the display. However, high strain point glass may be less scratch resistant.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.glassonline.com/central-glass-to-produce-speciality-glass/|title = Central Glass to produce speciality glass|date = 19 November 2002|access-date = 31 October 2020|archive-date = 5 November 2020|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201105033432/https://www.glassonline.com/central-glass-to-produce-speciality-glass/|url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US20080113857|title=High Strain-Point Glass Composition for Substrate|access-date=2020-10-31|archive-date=2023-04-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413013644/https://patents.google.com/patent/US20080113857|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US6998578|title=Baking system for plasma display panel and layout method for said system|access-date=2020-10-31|archive-date=2023-04-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413013712/https://patents.google.com/patent/US6998578|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>Duisit, G., Gaume, O., & El Khiati, N. (2003). 23.4: High Strain Point Glass with Improved Chemical Stability and Mechanical Properties for FPDs. SID Symposium Digest of Technical Papers, 34(1), 905. doi:10.1889/1.1832431</ref>

Until the early 2000s, plasma displays were the most popular choice for [[HDTV]] [[flat-panel display]] as they had many benefits over LCDs. Beyond plasma's deeper blacks, increased contrast, faster response time, greater color spectrum, and wider viewing angle; they were also much bigger than LCDs, and it was believed that LCDs were suited only to smaller sized televisions. Plasma had overtaken rear-projection systems in 2005.<ref>[http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=169300184 "Plasma TV sales overtake projection units, says report"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100105204008/http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=169300184 |date=2010-01-05 }} ''EETimes'', 17 August 2005</ref>

However, improvements in LCD fabrication narrowed the technological gap. The increased size, lower weight, falling prices, and often lower electrical power consumption of LCDs made them competitive with plasma television sets. In 2006, LCD prices started to fall rapidly and their screen sizes increased, although plasma televisions maintained a slight edge in picture quality and a price advantage for sets at the critical 42" size and larger. By late 2006, several vendors were offering 42" LCDs, albeit at a premium price, encroaching upon plasma's only stronghold. More  decisively, LCDs offered higher resolutions and true [[1080p]] support, while plasmas were stuck at [[720p]], which made up for the price difference.<ref name="shift">Reuters, [https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna15916808 "Shift to large LCD TVs over plasma"], ''MSNBC'', 27 November 2006</ref>

In late 2006, analysts noted that LCDs had overtaken plasmas, particularly in the {{convert|40|in|cm|adj=on}} and above segment where plasma had previously gained market share.<ref>[https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna15916808 "Shift to large LCD TVs over plasma"], ''MSNBC'', November 27, 2006, retrieved 2007-08-12.</ref> Another industry trend was the consolidation of plasma display manufacturers, with around 50 brands available but only five manufacturers. In the first quarter of 2008, a comparison of worldwide TV sales broke down to 22.1 million for direct-view CRT, 21.1 million for LCD, 2.8 million for plasma, and 0.1 million for rear projection.<ref>[http://www.digitalhome.ca/content/view/2538/206 "LCD televisions outsell plasma 8 to 1 worldwide"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090522001447/http://www.digitalhome.ca/content/view/2538/206/|date=2009-05-22}}, ''Digital Home'', 21 May 2008, retrieved 2008-06-13.</ref>

When the sales figures for the 2007 Christmas season were finally tallied, analysts were surprised to find that not only had LCD outsold plasma, but CRTs  as well, during the same period.<ref name=outship>{{cite news |first=Wolfgang |last=Gruener |url=http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/36119/118/ |title=LCD TVs outship CRT TVs for the first time |work=TG Daily |date=19 February 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080226094529/http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/36119/118/ |archive-date=26 February 2008}}</ref> This development drove competing large-screen systems from the market almost overnight. The February 2009 announcement that [[Pioneer Electronics]] was ending production of plasma screens was widely considered the tipping point in the technology's history as well.<ref>Jose Fermoso, [http://newteevee.com/2009/02/21/pioneers-kuro-killing-a-tipping-point-in-the-plasma-era/ "Pioneer's Kuro Killing: A Tipping Point in the Plasma Era"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100716015143/http://newteevee.com/2009/02/21/pioneers-kuro-killing-a-tipping-point-in-the-plasma-era/ |date=2010-07-16 }}, newteevee.com, 21 February 2009</ref>

Screen sizes have increased since the introduction of plasma displays. The largest plasma video display in the world at the 2008 [[Consumer Electronics Show]] in [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]], [[Nevada]], was a {{convert|150|in|cm|adj=on}} unit manufactured by Matsushita Electric Industrial (Panasonic) standing {{convert|6|ft|cm|abbr=on}} tall by {{convert|11|ft|cm|abbr=on}} wide.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/6ft-by-150-inches--and-thats-just-the-tv-768862.html Dugan, Emily., "6ft by 150 inches – and that's just the TV"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925043555/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/6ft-by-150-inches--and-thats-just-the-tv-768862.html |date=2015-09-25 }}, ''The Independent'', 8 January 2008, retrieved 2009-01-29.</ref><ref>[[PC Magazine|PCMag.com]] – [https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2246186,00.asp Panasonic's 150-Inch "Life Screen" Plasma Opens CES] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211002943/http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2246186,00.asp |date=2017-02-11 }}</ref>

=== 2010s ===

At the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Panasonic introduced their 152" 2160p 3D plasma. In 2010, Panasonic shipped 19.1 million plasma TV panels.<ref name=post>{{cite news |title=Panasonic celebrates higher plasma TV sales for 2010, sets prices for 2011 |work=EnGadget |date=March 1, 2011 |url=https://www.engadget.com/2011/03/01/panasonic-celebrates-higher-plasma-tv-sales-for-2010-sets-pric/ |access-date=September 8, 2017 |archive-date=July 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180703050711/https://www.engadget.com/2011/03/01/panasonic-celebrates-higher-plasma-tv-sales-for-2010-sets-pric/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2010, the shipments of plasma TVs reached 18.2 million units globally.<ref name="st2011-09-12">[http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/lcd-tv-market-larger-plasma-201102201032.htm LCD TV Market Ten Times Larger Than Plasma TVs On Units-Shipped Basis] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111013185757/http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/lcd-tv-market-larger-plasma-201102201032.htm |date=2011-10-13 }}, 20 February 2011, Jonathan Sutton, hdtvtest.co.uk, retrieved at September 12, 2011</ref> Since that time, shipments of plasma TVs have declined substantially. This decline has been attributed to the competition from liquid crystal (LCD) televisions, whose prices have fallen more rapidly than those of the plasma TVs.<ref>{{cite news |title=LCD TV Growth Improving, As Plasma and CRT TV Disappear, According to NPD DisplaySearch |date=April 16, 2014 |work=PRWeb |url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/lcd_tv_growth_improving_as_plasma_and_crt_tv_disappear_according_to_npd_displaysearch/prweb11768569.htm |quote=Of course, the growth of LCD comes at the expense of plasma and CRT TV shipments, which are forecast to fall 48 percent and 50 percent, respectively, in 2014. In fact, both technologies will all but disappear by the end of 2015, as manufacturers cut production of both technologies in order to focus on LCD, which has become more competitive from a cost standpoint. |access-date=August 31, 2014 |archive-date=September 4, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904005315/http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/04/prweb11768569.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> In late 2013, Panasonic announced that they would stop producing plasma TVs from March 2014 onwards.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33199_7-57610230-221/tv-shoppers-now-is-the-time-to-buy-a-panasonic-plasma |title=TV shoppers: Now is the time to buy a Panasonic plasma |newspaper=CNET |date=October 31, 2013 |access-date=November 3, 2013 |archive-date=November 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104011846/http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33199_7-57610230-221/tv-shoppers-now-is-the-time-to-buy-a-panasonic-plasma/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2014, LG and Samsung discontinued plasma TV production as well,<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2471112,00.asp| title=With LG Out, Plasma HDTVs Are Dead| author=Will Greenwald| date=October 28, 2014| website=[[PC Magazine]]| access-date=September 8, 2017| archive-date=February 23, 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223024610/http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2471112,00.asp| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.cnet.com/news/samsung-reportedly-ending-plasma-tv-production/| title=Samsung to end plasma TV production this year| author=David Katzmaier| date=July 2, 2014| website=[[CNET]]| access-date=February 18, 2020| archive-date=April 27, 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200427202633/https://www.cnet.com/news/samsung-reportedly-ending-plasma-tv-production/| url-status=live}}</ref> effectively killing the technology, probably because of declining demand.