- Although most people know that there are many different types of display options in the realm of home televisions, few people realize that there are just as many options in the world of computer displays. The different types of computer monitors include cathode-ray tube monitors, LCD (liquid-crystal display) monitors and plasma monitors.
- Cathode-ray tube monitors work in the way that projection-screen televisions do. They use a cathode to fire negatively charged electrons from the back of the monitor unit at the front screen. The screen is made of particles that become excited when struck by electrons and glow in a discernible fashion. This creates a visible picture.
- LCD stands for liquid-crystal display. As the name would imply, an LCD computer monitor uses liquid crystals to display its pictures. Essentially, the liquid crystal material is placed between extremely thin filters, and the entire conglomeration is encased in transparent electrodes. These electrodes can be fired using a very small amount of electricity, and they excite the liquid crystal material, resulting in a visible picture on the monitor screen.
- Plasma computer monitors work by converting a mixture of gases (neon and xenon) into their plasma state, the fourth state of matter. The process takes place between two panes of glass, one of which constitutes the screen of the computer monitor. Between the two panes of glass, thousands of tiny enclosures contain a gas mixture that becomes excited when electricity is passed through, creating a visible picture.
