MgO-CaO protective layers with various composition were prepared by electron beam evaporation to improve the characteristics of conventional pure MgO thin films as a protective layer for AC-PDP. The maximum deposition rate of pure MgO was 1025 $AA$/min and decreased with increasing [(CaO/(MgO+CaO)] ratio of evaporation starting materials. From XRD analyses, a trend of peak shift to the lower 2$ heta$ angle side was shown as CaO content increased and it stoped when the concentration of CaO was 0.13, which corresponds to the maximum solubility of CaO in MgO. The optimum composition of the protective thin films was Mg 47.1 at%, Ca 1.3 at%, O 51.6 at%, and firing voltage, memory margin and deposition rate of the film with this composition was 176 V, 0.5 and 515 $AA$/min, respectively.