Abstract: The invention relates to a low-pressure gas discharge lamp which includes at least one discharge vessel and at least two capacitive coupling-in structures and operates at an operating frequency f. In order to achieve a better efficiency in combination with a small structural volume, a high luminous flux, a low operating voltage, a low electromagnetic emission, a high resistance against switching transients and a long service life for the low-pressure gas discharge lamp, it is proposed to form each capacitive coupling-in structure from at least one dielectric having a thickness d and a dielectric constant ?, each dielectric being subject to the condition d/(f.?)<10?8 cm·s. A substantially larger amount of light can thus be generated per lamp length (lumen/cm).

Abstract: A low-pressure gas discharge lamp is described, which is equipped with a gas-discharge vessel containing an inert gas filling as the buffer gas and an indium, thallium and/or copper halide, and with electrodes and with means for generating and maintaining a low-pressure gas discharge, which has as the electron emitter substance a compound selected from the group of ABO3 or AnBO2+n, AnC2O5+n, or AnD2O3+n, wherein: A=an alkaline earth element or a mixture of several different alkaline earth elements, B=cerium, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, or a mixture of these elements, C=vanadium, niobium, tantalum, or a mixture of these elements, D=scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, a rare earth element, or a mixture of these elements.

Abstract: The invention relates to a low-pressure gas discharge lamp which includes at least one discharge vessel and at least two capacitive coupling-in structures and operates at an operating frequency f. In order to achieve a better efficiency in combination with a small structural volume, a high luminous flux, a low operating voltage, a low electromagnetic emission, a high resistance against switching transients and a long service life for the low-pressure gas discharge lamp, it is proposed to form each capacitive coupling-in structure from at least one dielectric having a thickness d and a dielectric constant ?, each dielectric being subject to the condition d/(f.?)<10?8 cm.s. A substantially larger amount of light can thus be generated per lamp length (lumen/cm).

Abstract: The invention relates to a low-pressure gas discharge lamp which includes at least one discharge vessel and at least two capacitive coupling-in structures and operates at an operating frequency f. In order to achieve a better efficiency in combination with a small structural volume, a high luminous flux, a low operating voltage, a low electromagnetic emission, a high resistance against switching transients and a long service life for the low-pressure gas discharge lamp, it is proposed to form each capacitive coupling-in structure from at least one dielectric having a thickness d and a dielectric constant ?, each dielectric being subject to the condition d/(f.?)<10?8 cm.s. A substantially larger amount of light can thus be generated per lamp length (lumen/cm).

Abstract: A gas discharge lamp with at least one capacitive coupling structure (2, 3) is described, which lamp has the particular characteristic that the coupling structure (2, 3) comprises a ceramic material which comprises pure BaTiO3. In particular an additional doping of at least part of the BaTiO3 with barium leads to a material whose Curie temperature and saturation polarization are substantially higher and whose coercitive field strength is substantially smaller, so that a gas discharge lamp with a coupling structure manufactured from this material can be operated at substantially higher temperatures and at a lower operating voltage. Various dopings of the BaTiO3 with titanium, manganese, and lead are furthermore described.

Abstract: A liquid crystal picture screen provided with a backlight system which comprises at least one gas discharge lamp and at least one capacitive coupling system with a dielectric material with the composition [A′a1n1+A″a2n2+ . . . An′annn+] [B′b1m1+B″b2m2+ . . . Bm′bmmn+]O3, wherein the cations A′a1n1+A″a2n2+ . . . An′annn+ comprise at least one or several of the cations chosen from the group of Ba2+, Pb2+, Sr2+ and Ca2+, as well as possibly one or several of the cations chosen from the group of Cs1+, Rb1+, Tl1+, K1+, Pb2+, Ag1+, Sr2+, Na1+, Bi3+, La3+, Mg2+, Zn2+, Ca2+, Ce3+, Cd2+, Pr3+, Nd3+, Eu3+, Gd3+ and Sm3+, and the cations B′b1m1+B″b2m2+ . . .

Abstract: In a capacitively coupled discharge lamp the electrode comprises a dielectric material that during operation is in contact with the discharge. The impedance of the dielectric material is small and its electron affinity is negative. In this way it is realized that the discharge lamp can be operated efficiently at low frequencies (less than 500 KHz).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a gas discharge lamp and to such a gas discharge lamp 100. A known gas discharge lamp 100 comprises a hollow glass body 120 filled with a gas, which gas is excited into generating light through the supply of energy, and at least one ceramic electrode 140a, 140b fastened to the hollow glass body for the capacitive coupling of energy into the gas inside the hollow glass body 120. It is an object of the invention to simplify the manufacture of the gas discharge lamp 100. This is achieved according to the invention in that the glass material from which the hollow glass body 120 is formed and the ceramic material 140a, 140b from which the ceramic electrode is formed are chosen such that their two thermal expansion coefficients correspond at least by approximation, and in that the glass tube is fastened to the ceramic electrode through direct fusion.

Abstract: The invention relates to a gas discharge lamp with a gas discharge vessel filled with a filling gas with a filling gas pressure p and at least one capacitive excitation structure. To improve the luminous efficacy of the gas discharge lamp, it is suggested that an electrode of a dielectric material forms at least one capacitive excitation structure, which electrode is connected to the gas discharge vessel and encloses at least one hollow space with a surface area A and a volume V, for which it is true that p·V/A<10 cmTorr. Such a dielectric or capacitive electrode, according to the invention, is shaped such that it has a hollow space which is closed off in a vacuumtight manner except for a communication to the gas discharge vessel. It has a surface area A on the inside of the electrode and surrounds a volume V. The dimensions of the hollow space are such that p·V/A<10 cmTorr, the filling gas pressure p being given in Torr.

Abstract: A liquid crystal picture screen provided with a backlight system which comprises at least one gas discharge lamp and at least one capacitive coupling system with a dielectric material with the composition

Abstract: A gas discharge lamp with at least one capacitive coupling structure (2, 3) is described, which lamp has the particular characteristic that the coupling structure (2, 3) comprises a ceramic material which comprises pure BaTiO3. In particular an additional doping of at least part of the BaTiO3 with barium leads to a material whose Curie temperature and saturation polarization are substantially higher and whose coercitive field strength is substantially smaller, so that a gas discharge lamp with a coupling structure manufactured from this material can be operated at substantially higher temperatures and at a lower operating voltage. Various dopings of the BaTiO3 with titanium, manganese, and lead are furthermore described.

Abstract: A gas discharge lamp has at least one capacitive electrode of a dielectric material having a dielectric saturation polarization P and an effective surface A wherein the product of P·A>10−5 C. This lamp can be operated without drive electronics or a ballast, using power available at private households.

Abstract: The invention relates to a low-pressure gas discharge lamp which includes at least one discharge vessel and at least two capacitive coupling-in structures and operates at an operating frequency f. In order to achieve a better efficiency in combination with a small structural volume, a high luminous flux, a low operating voltage, a low electromagnetic emission, a high resistance against switching transients and a long service life for the low-pressure gas discharge lamp, it is proposed to form each capacitive coupling-in structure from at least one dielectric having a thickness d and a dielectric constant &egr;, each dielectric being subject to the condition d/(f.&egr;)<10−8 cm.s. A substantially larger amount of light can thus be generated per lamp length (lumen/cm).

Abstract: The discharge lamp comprises a piezotransformer and at least one of the lamp electrodes comprises a secondary side of the piezotransformer. Since the piezotransformer functions as a lamp electrode, as a ballast choke and as a transformer, the discharge lamp can be operated by means of a relatively simple and cheap ballast circuit.