Abstract: A radiograph system with an anode plate, a cathode plate, and a power source coupled to said anode plate and the cathode plate. At least two wires coupled between the anode plate and the cathode plate provide a configuration to form an X-pinch having a photon source size of less than five microns at energies above 2.5 keV. Material at the configuration forming the X-pinch vaporizes upon application of a suitable current to the wires forming a dense hot plasma and emitting a single x-ray pulse with sufficient photons having energies in the range of from about 2.5 keV to about 20 keV to provide a phase contrast image of an object in the path of the photons. Multiple simultaneous images may be formed of a plurality of objects. Suitable filters and x-ray detectors are provided.

Abstract: A discharge lamp bulb includes a light transmissive envelope and at least one conductive fiber disposed on a wall of the envelope, where the fiber has a thickness of less than 100 microns. The lamp may be either electrodeless or may include internal electrodes. Suitable materials for the fiber(s) include but are not limited to carbon, silicon carbide, aluminum, tantalum, molybdenum, platinum, and tungsten. Silicon carbide whiskers and platinum coated silicon carbide fibers may also be used. The fiber(s) may be aligned with the electrical field, at least during starting. The lamp preferably further includes a protective material covering the fiber(s). For example the protective material may be a sol gel deposited silica coating. Noble gases inside the bulb at pressures in excess of 300 Torr can be reliably ignited at applied electric field strengths of less than 4×105 V/m. Over 2000 Torr xenon, krypton, and argon respectively achieve breakdown with an applied field of less than 3×105 V/m.

Abstract: A discharge lamp bulb includes a light transmissive envelope and at least one conductive fiber disposed on a wall of the envelope, where the fiber has a thickness of less than 100 microns. The lamp may be either electrodeless or may include internal electrodes. Suitable materials for the fiber(s) include but are not limited to carbon, silicon carbide, aluminum, tantalum, molybdenum, platinum, and tungsten. Silicon carbide whiskers and platinum coated silicon carbide fibers may also be used. The fiber(s) may be aligned with the electrical field, at least during starting. The lamp preferably further includes a protective material covering the fiber(s). For example the protective material may be a sol gel deposited silica coating. Noble gases inside the bulb at pressures in excess of 300 Torr can be reliably ignited at applied electric field strengths of less than 4×105 V/m. Over 2000 Torr xenon, krypton, and argon respectively achieve breakdown with an applied field of less than 3×105 V/m.