A convenient way is given in this paper to calculate the effective secondary
electron emission coefficient
(γ$_{\it eff}$)
of protective layers in AC-PDP by
fitting breakdown voltage curves. Based on the analysis of chemical kinetics
of gas discharging in Plasma Display Panels, we deduced an empirical
equation of self-sustaining discharge condition for Penning gas mixture in
terms of Townsend breakdown criteria. It was used to calculate the breakdown
voltage curves of Ne-Xe/MgO, Ne-Ar/MgO, Ne/MgO, Ar/MgO and Xe/MgO in a
testing macroscopic discharge cell of AC-PDP. The effective secondary
electron emission coefficients were derived by comparing the breakdown
voltage curves obtained from the empirical equation with the experimental
data of breakdown voltages. The γ$_{\it eff}$ results showed a good conformity
with the secondary electron emission coefficients in literatures. The
empirical equation can be used as a convenient approach to research gas
discharge characteristics and the effective secondary electron emission
behaviors in plasma display panels.