An improved magnetic-coupled AC-PDP sustain driver with dual recovery paths

A cost-effective magnetic-coupled ac plasma-display-panel sustain driver with low switching loss is proposed. The transformer yields current-stress reduction of energy-recovery switches, which affects circuit cost and reliability, and its turns ratio can be used to adjust the sustain-pulse slopes affecting gas-discharge uniformity. Dividing the recovery paths, the switching loss of the recovery switches is reduced by preventing abrupt change of the switch output capacitance charge current. In addition, the proposed circuit has a simpler structure because it does not use the recovery-path diodes, which should afford a large recovery current. By reducing the current stress and device count of the energy-recovery circuit, the proposed driver may help bring the circuit cost down and improve circuit reliability.