Abstract: An external-electrode discharge lamp has a light-permeable, electrically insulative outer casing having a closed hollow space defined therein. A discharge medium is sealed in the outer casing. An external electrode is disposed on an outer surface of the outer casing for causing a dielectric barrier discharge in the discharge medium. The external electrode comprises a plate of an electrically conductive material and is brazed to the outer surface of the outer casing by a brazing material disposed fully circumferentially on the outer surface of the outer casing.

Abstract: A plasma display panel is provided which is free from blisters and pinholes on its dielectric layers and has excellent characteristics of breakdown voltage. The plasma display panel has a multilayered first dielectric layer covering a display electrode including a scanning electrode and a sustain electrode that are provided on a front substrate, and a multilayered second dielectric layer covering a data electrode that is provided on a back substrate. The periphery of an upper dielectric layer of the first dielectric layer and/or the second dielectric layer is positioned identically or partially in size and shape to a periphery of a lower dielectric layer to be formed.

Abstract: A gas discharge closing switch has a high voltage anode structure containing a plurality of surface elements facing substantially toward a cathode and spaced from each other to define gaps therebetween. In a preferred embodiment, a control electrode structure includes a surface defining an aperture corresponding to at least one of the gaps.

Abstract: A low pressure gas discharge lamp (such as a fluorescent lamp) which includes a wire mesh grid disposed within the lamp envelope so as to intercept the electrons flowing between the lamp electrodes. A lead wire extends from the grid to the outside of the lamp envelope, when the grid is provided with a negative voltage with respect to the surrounding plasma the lamp may switched off. The grid controlled lamp eliminates the need for a solid state power switch in the lamp driving circuitry. As such, the lamp current flows only through the lamp not through the electronic ballast/lamp driving circuitry. With the lamp current removed from the ballast circuitry, power dissipation problems in the driver circuitry is eliminated. The grid controlled lamp design greatly facilitates circuit design.

Abstract: A high voltage switch tube with a central cathode cylindrically symmetric to and surrounded by a tubular anode, with a grid interposed between the cathode and anode. A high negative voltage is applied to the cathode, but the flow of electrons to the anode is blocked by the grid which is held near cathode potential. After a space charge is created at the grid by electrons from the cathode, the grid is pulsed to ground potential, releasing electrons from the cathode to yield a very high current pulse. The cathode is preferably a graphite foam sleeve mounted on a support structure.

Abstract: A structure associated with a ceramic envelope gas filled electron tube whereby a series of concentric holes are formed through grid radiator rings which thus simulates the outer neutral gas region of a typical glass envelope tube structure. In this manner, one has created a neutral non-ionized gas flow path which shunts the main discharge in such a thyratron and which is contained within the metal internal axial structure. The apertures, as formed in the grid radiator rings, thereby provide a source path for neutral molecular hydrogen from the gas reservoir located at the base of the tube to allow the gas to be directed to the anode/grid region of the tube, where electrons are pumped and the gas is collisionally ionized. The effect serves to enhance the maximum thyratron operating frequency by allowing cool neutral gas molecules to flow into the gap region through the parallel path and then into the discharge volume of the ceramic thyratron tube.

Abstract: A gas discharge device includes an anode, an enclosure member having an aperture therein and substantially enclosing a volume of a gas filling, and a mechanism for injecting electrons into the volume of gas filling to produce ionization of the gas filling within the volume so that during operation of the device, the enclosure member and the ionization within the enclosure member constitute a cathode, and a conduction path is established between the interior of such cathode and the anode through the aperture of the enclosure member.

Abstract: A spark gap switch is disclosed with a pumping system which utilizes flowing gas to replenish the interelectrode region between conductive pulses. The spark gap switch typically consists of a housing enclosing a gas filled chamber in which there are two end electrodes with an intervening trigger plane electrode that may be inserted at other than midplane. To initiate switch closure, a trigger pulse is applied between one end electrode and a trigger plane electrode causing the gas in the intervening gap to ionize and conduct and thereby bring on complete switch closure. To achieve proper gas flow each end electrode is configured as a truncated cone and gas is caused to flow from a multiplicity of ports spaced equidistantly around each cone base. The gas ascends the conical outer surface of each end electrode, sweeps over the crown and exhausts out through an opening in the center of each electrode.

Abstract: A thyratron includes an envelope containing a gas filling, an anode, an intermediate grid, control grids and a cylindrical structure which acts as a cathode heat shield in a conventional thyratron. In operation the intermediate grid is maintained at cathode potential and, when triggering pulses are applied to the control grids, the gas filling ionizes and the thyratron becomes conducting. The main part of the current comes from the intermediate grid which acts as a "hollow" cathode, and enables the thermionic cathode conventionally used to be dispensed with if desired.

Abstract: Self-aligned double grids for vacuum tubes and methods for making such double grids are provided. The self-aligned double grids are especially suitable for improving the efficiency and performance characteristics of high frequency power amplifier tetrode tubes.

Abstract: The low pressure gas-filled thyratron is scalable in the long dimension. Internally the tube is formed as a tetrode, with an auxiliary grid placed between the cathode and the control grid. A DC or pulsed power source drives the auxiliary grid both to insure uniform cathode emission and to provide a grid-cathode plasma prior to commutation. The high voltage holdoff structure consists of the anode, the control grid and its electrostatic shielding baffles, and a main quartz insulator. A small gas flow supply and exhaust system is used that eliminates the need for a hydrogen reservoir and permits other gases, such as helium, to be used. The thyratron provides a low inductance, high current, long lifetime switch configuration; useful for switch-on applications involving large scale lasers and other similar loads that are distributed in a linear geometry.

Abstract: Gas discharge display device having a gas-filled space gas-tightly closed on one side by a front plate and on a side opposite thereto by a back plate and subdivided by a control plate into a gas discharge space and a post-acceleration space, the control plate carrying electrode runs respectively addressable separately and forming a matrix as row conductors on one side of the control plate and as column conductors on the other side of the control plate, and having, together with the electrode runs, control through holes at intersection points of the matrix, a fluorescent screen disposed on the side of the front plate opposite the control plate and defining the post-acceleration space, the fluorescent screen having an anode layer thereon, and at least one insulated cathode on the side of the back plate and defining the gas discharge space, the control plate having, on the side thereof facing towards the post-acceleration space, a plate having a raster of holes formed therein coincident with a raster of the cont

Abstract: A thyratron utilizable as a circuit interrupting protective device is provided. The thyratron includes an apertured grid between anode and cathode which is divided transversely into two parts separated by an insulating layer. Both surfaces of the composite grid remote from the insulating layer carry conductive meshes which meshes cover the exits of the apertures in the composite grid. The thickness of the insulating layer and the dimensions of the meshes are such that no point within an aperture is further from a part of the grid or a mesh than the Debye distance whereby the effects of Debye shielding tend to be reduced when a negative potential is applied between two said parts of said grid to quench a discharge previously initiated by applying positive potential to both parts of the grid.

Abstract: Thyratrons have an anode and cathode with a control grid lying between them. A primary grid located between the control grid and cathode may be used to maintain a primary discharge between it and the cathode, and improve the operating characteristics of the thyratron. However, the primary discharge may penetrate into the region where the main discharge occurs and hence increase the probability of premature triggering of the thyratron.By employing the invention, the penetration of the primary discharge into the main discharge region is reduced.A primary grid comprises two elements which have apertures. The elements are arranged so that the apertures in one element do not overlap those in the other. Thus the primary discharge which penetrates through the first element is prevented from reaching the main discharge region by the second element.

Abstract: The invention provides a laser arrangement including in its discharge circuit a switching thyratron which is capable of conduction normally in one direction and protectively in the reverse direction. The thyratron has an anode formed as a hollow body which is adapted to retain plasma generated during a pulse of forward conduction so that the anode is provided to act as a cathode permitting protective reversal of the thyratron when this is subject to reversal of voltage.

Abstract: A high voltage linear switch assembly is disclosed that uses a hollow quartz tube as the insulator, and houses the anode, cathode and switch within the insulator tube. The anode and cathode are fixed within the tube on opposite sides so that they do not make physical contact with each other. A chamber filled with either hydrogen or helium and a metal electrode screen act as the switch as follows. By separating the anode from the cathode the gas filled chamber normally acts as an open circuit. When a charge is conducted by the metal electrode screen, the gas in the chamber is ionized and provides a medium to provide electrical contact between the anode and the cathode.