Abstract: A display device (12) has a display screen, the display screen comprising a plurality of gas discharge tubes (20R, 20G, 20B, . . . 28R, 28G, 28B) disposed side by side. Each of the gas discharge tubes includes a phosphor layer (4) formed therein and also includes a discharge gas contained therein. Each gas discharge tube has a plurality of light-emitting points. Each of the plurality of gas discharge tubes (20R, 20G, 20B, . . . 28R, 28G, 28B) is curved along the longitudinal direction thereof. The display screen is formed by combining the plurality of gas discharge tubes having different magnitudes of curvature.

Abstract: A plasma tube array according to the present invention includes plural light emitting tubes that have fluorescent material layers inside and are mutually lined up in parallel. The plasma tube array includes pairs of display electrodes that are formed along the respective fluorescent material layers. The fluorescent material layers are disposed in sequence in the longitudinal direction of the light emitting tubes.

Abstract: A plasma tube array in which a number of arc each including a phosphor layer inside are arranged. The plasma tube array displays an image by causing discharge inside the arc tubes so that the phosphor layers inside the arc tubes are allowed to emit light. This plasma tube array has a structure with which phosphor layers can be easily aligned in a predetermined direction. The plasma tube array includes alignment members, each of which is disposed at one end of a corresponding one of the arc tubes, and which regulate the postures in a rotational direction of the respective arc tubes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a plasma tube array including: plural light-emitting tubes; a front supporting member and a back supporting member which spread over the front and back of the light-emitting tubes; plural display electrode pairs provided on the surface of the front supporting member facing the light-emitting tubes; and plural signal electrodes provided on the surface of the back supporting member facing the light-emitting tubes. Each display electrode constituting the display electrode pair is a display electrode which is made of a metal thin wire, provided with plural openings formed in a distributed manner and includes a first metal thin wire facing a discharge slit and extending along the discharge slit, and the first metal thin wire is a metal thin wire thicker than a second metal thin wire which forms a region closer to a non-discharge slit side than the first metal thin wire.

Abstract: A gas-discharge tube has a glass tube as its main body and a trench is provided in the axial direction of the glass tube on one surface (the surface opposed to the discharge surface) among the external surfaces of the glass tube. An address electrode is placed in the trench. The inner surface of the region of the glass tube where sustain electrodes are placed is formed to have a microscopic unevenness. A secondary electron emission film is formed on this inner surface where the unevenness is formed. In addition, a phosphor support member, whose cross section across the axis is in approximately a C-shape and where a phosphor layer has been formed in advance on the inner surface, is placed inside of the glass tube. Stable discharge characteristics is obtained by eliminating dispersion of the position of an electrode, relative to the gas-discharge tube.

Abstract: A plurality of arc tubes are arranged in parallel with the long side of a rectangular screen, a plurality of first electrodes and second electrodes are arranged on the display surface side of the arc tube array in the direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the arc tubes, and a plurality of third electrodes are arranged on the back side of the arc tube array along the longitudinal direction of the arc tubes. At the time of screen display, the third electrodes are used as scan electrodes and a scan voltage is applied sequentially to the plurality of third electrodes. In the meantime, a voltage is applied to a desired first electrode or second electrode so that discharge takes place in a desired light-emitting cell and a light-emitting cell is selected. Thereafter, display discharge takes place between the adjacent first electrode and second electrode thus performing display.

Abstract: The present invention provides a plasma tube array including: plural light-emitting tubes; a front supporting member and a back supporting member which spread over the front and back of the light-emitting tubes; plural display electrode pairs provided on the surface of the front supporting member facing the light-emitting tubes; and plural signal electrodes provided on the surface of the back supporting member facing the light-emitting tubes. Each display electrode constituting the display electrode pair is a display electrode which is made of a metal thin wire, provided with plural openings formed in a distributed manner and includes a first metal thin wire facing a discharge slit and extending along the discharge slit, and the first metal thin wire is a metal thin wire thicker than a second metal thin wire which forms a region closer to a non-discharge slit side than the first metal thin wire.

Abstract: A plasma tube array according to the present invention includes plural light emitting tubes that have fluorescent material layers inside and are mutually lined up in parallel. The plasma tube array includes pairs of display electrodes that are formed along the respective fluorescent material layers. The fluorescent material layers are disposed in sequence in the longitudinal direction of the light emitting tubes.

Abstract: A light-emitting discharge tube in which an outer wall surface of a glass tube is made less susceptible to flaws by forming a protective film on the outer wall surface of the glass tube, a method of fabricating the light-emitting discharge tube, and a protective film forming apparatus are provided. The light-emitting discharge tube defines light-emitting discharge regions by a plurality of external electrodes. The outer wall surface of the light-emitting discharge tube (the glass tube) is coated with the protective film (a metal film, a conductive metal oxide film, an insulating metal oxide film, or an organic film).

Abstract: A display device capable of realizing a desired color temperature is provided. Phosphor layers 5a, 5b and 5c, which are excited by ultraviolet radiation produced by discharge and emit red, green and blue visible light, are formed inside a red, green and blue gas discharge tube 1a, 1b, and 1c, respectively. The height Yc of the phosphor layer 5c with respect to a rear support body 20 is higher than the heights Ya and Yb of the phosphor layers 5a and 5b with respect to the rear support member 20, and establishes the relationship Yc>Ya=Yb. Therefore, the distance from the phosphor layer 5c to the opposite discharge surface on a front support body is shorter than those from the phosphor layers 5a and 5b, the visible light emitted from the display device 10 is shifted toward blue, that is, the color temperature increases.

Abstract: A gas-discharge tube has a glass tube as its main body and a trench is provided in the axial direction of the glass tube on one surface (the surface opposed to the discharge surface) among the external surfaces of the glass tube. An address electrode is placed in the trench. The inner surface of the region of the glass tube where sustain electrodes are placed is formed to have a microscopic unevenness. A secondary electron emission film is formed on this inner surface where the unevenness is formed. In addition, a phosphor support member, whose cross section across the axis is in approximately a C-shape and where a phosphor layer has been formed in advance on the inner surface, is placed inside of the glass tube. Stable discharge characteristics is obtained by eliminating dispersion of the position of an electrode, relative to the gas-discharge tube.

Abstract: This invention relates to a single-mode optical fiber having a configuration for effectively reducing bending loss. In the single-mode optical fiber, while an optical core is constituted by inner and outer cores, an optical cladding is constituted by an inner cladding in which "tailing" occurs and an outer cladding. In particular, in a cross section of the optical fiber perpendicular to the signal light guiding direction, when the surface integral values of relative refractive index difference of the optical cladding and optical core with respect to the outer cladding having an average refractive index n.sub.0 are respectively S1 and S2, the optical fiber satisfies a relationship of S1/S2.gtoreq.0.8.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an S-mode optical fiber having a structure which can effectively restrain dispersion slope from increasing. In this S-mode optical fiber, an optical core is constituted by inner and outer cores, while an optical cladding is constituted by an inner cladding in which "tailing" occurs and an outer cladding. In a cross section of the S-mode optical fiber perpendicular to its signal light propagating direction, when surface integral values of relative refractive index difference with respect to a reference region having an average refractive index n.sub.0 are S1 and S2 in the optical cladding and optical core, respectively, the S-mode optical fiber is designed to satisfy a relationship of 0<S1/S2.ltoreq.0.3. As a result of this configuration, it can effectively restrain dispersion slope from increasing due to "tailing" which inevitably occurs during its manufacturing process.