The plasma display panel (PDP) as a medium of large format TV is gaining attention due to its high performance and scalability. The performance and life, or stability, of a PDP is strongly related to the nature of phosphors. Life and persistence are the main concerns in Mn-activated zinc silicate and barium-aluminate- based green phosphors. The preparation and characterization of terbium-activated-yttrium borate (YBO3:Tb3+), gadolinium borate (Y,GdBO3:Tb3+), lanthanum phosphate (LaPO4:Tb3+), yttrium phosphate (YPO4:Tb3+), and their blends with Mn-activated zinc silicate and barium aluminate phosphors are presented. Despite high quantum efficiency, Mn-activated phosphors have a higher persistence (>10 ms). The persistence (10%) of Tb3+-activated phosphors ranges from 8 to 10 ms, required for typical TV operation. AC PDPs (42 in.) were made with conventional zinc silicate- and Tb-activated borate phosphors. Their optical characteristics, as well as the life of the phosphors, were studied over 2 years of continuous operation. The data reveals that borate-based phosphor is stable and also improves the uniformity of discharge characteristics in ac PDPs. To overcome the blue peak and take advantage of higher lifetime and lower persistence of yttrium borate, blends of zinc silicate and yttrium borate or barium aluminate and yttrium borate phosphors are studied and their luminescent characteristics are presented. The advantage of using these blends in PDPs is discussed. (C) 2003 The Electrochemical Society.