Monochrome Monitor - Screen Burn

Screen Burn

Monochrome monitors are particularly susceptible to screen burn (hence the advent, and name, of the screen saver), because the phosphors used are very high intensity. Another effect of the high-intensity phosphors is an effect known as "ghosting", wherein a dim afterglow of the screen's contents is briefly visible after the screen has been blanked. This has a certain place in pop culture, as evidenced in movies such as The Matrix.

This ghosting effect is deliberate on some monitors, known as "long persistence" monitors. These use the relatively long decay period of the phosphor glow to reduce flickering (and, therefore, eye-strain).