Abstract: A flat discharge lamp transmitting radiation in ultraviolet or visible, including first and second flat, or substantially flat, glass elements substantially parallel to each other and defining an internal space filled with gas, the first and/or second glass element being made of a material that transmits the radiation; at least one first electrode and at least one second electrode, which may be at different potentials and may be supplied by an AC voltage, the first and second electrodes being associated with one or more main faces of the first glass element, the first and second electrodes being essentially elongate and substantially parallel to one another, and separated by at least one interelectrode space of given width substantially constant; and at least one third electrode which may be at a given potential associated with a main face of the second glass element and at least partly occupying, in projection, the interelectrode space.

Abstract: A circuit for detecting a phase imbalance of signals includes a conversion block and a comparator coupled to the conversion block. The conversion block generates generating a direct current (DC) signal based on a first signal and a second signal. The level of the DC signal is determined by a phase difference between the first signal and the second signal. The comparator compares the DC signal to a reference signal and generates an alert signal if a difference between the DC signal and the reference signal is greater than a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: The invention relates to a flat lamp (1) transmitting radiation in the ultraviolet, known as a UV lamp, comprising: first and second flat dielectric walls (2, 3) that are facing each other, kept substantially parallel, and sealed, to one another, thus defining an internal space (10) filled with gas (7), the first dielectric wall at least being made of a material that transmits said UV radiation; electrodes composed of first and second electrodes (4, 5), having different given potentials, for a perpendicular discharge between the walls, the first electrode at least being based on a layer arranged in order to allow overall UV transmission; and an emitting gas or a phosphor coating (6) on one main inner face (22, 32) of the first and/or the second dielectric wall (2, 3), the phosphor emitting said UV radiation by being excited by the gas. The invention also relates to the uses thereof and to the manufacture thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a flat discharge lamp (1000) that transmits in the visible and/or UV comprising first and second dielectric walls (2, 3) that are facing each other, kept parallel and sealed at the periphery (8), that thus define an internal space (10) filled with a plasma gas and comprising a source of UV and/or visible light (6); and first and second electrodes (4, 5) in separate planes parallel to the first and second walls, the first electrode (4) being at a potential V0 higher than the potential V1 of the second electrode, and the first electrode being arranged in the internal space and closer to the first dielectric wall than the second electrode.

Abstract: An electrical supply device configured to deliver energy to a structure that includes at least two electrodes and a space containing a gas intended to be excited. The device includes a voltage generator, an inductor connected to the generator and connected to the structure to supply the two electrodes with a periodic voltage of given frequency, and a resonance mechanism for fixing the frequency at substantially the resonant frequency of the system of the structure and the inductor.

Abstract: A flat or substantially flat light-emitting and/or UV (ultraviolet)-emitting structure including first and second dielectric walls facing each other and defining an internal space containing a light source, first and second electrodes for the light source, which generate electric field lines with at least one component perpendicular to the first and second electrodes, the first electrode being supplied or capable of being supplied by a high-frequency electromagnetic signal f0, and as an outer cover for the first electrode, an electrical safety system that includes an electrical conductor separated from the first electrode by a dielectric, the protective conductor being connected or capable of being connected to an electrical power supply with a potential V and/or with a frequency f that are adjusted so that the peak value of external leakage current is equal to 2 mA or less if f is zero, or 0.7 mA or less if f is non-zero.

Abstract: A flat lamp transmitting radiation in UV (ultraviolet), including first and second flat or substantially flat glass elements substantially parallel to each other and defining an internal space filled with gas capable of emitting the radiation in the UV or of exciting a phosphor material possibly present and emitting the radiation in the UV. The phosphor material can be deposited on one face of the first and/or second glass element, the first and/or second glass element being made of a material transmitting the UV radiation. A plurality of pairs of electrodes are capable of being at different potentials and of being supplied by an AC voltage, the pairs associated with the first glass element and placed outside the internal space, the electrodes being in a form of bands and/or wires in the first glass element or in another dielectric element associated with the first glass element.

Abstract: A flat discharge lamp transmitting radiation in ultraviolet or visible, including first and second flat, or substantially flat, glass elements substantially parallel to each other and defining an internal space filled with gas, the first and/or second glass element being made of a material that transmits the radiation; at least one first electrode and at least one second electrode, which may be at different potentials and may be supplied by an AC voltage, the first and second electrodes being associated with one or more main faces of the first glass element, the first and second electrodes being essentially elongate and substantially parallel to one another, and separated by at least one interelectrode space of given width substantially constant; and at least one third electrode which may be at a given potential associated with a main face of the second glass element and at least partly occupying, in projection, the interelectrode space.

Abstract: A flat or substantially flat luminous structure including two walls having main faces facing one another and defining an internal space, a light source placed in the internal space and a power supply for the light source, and at least one substantially transparent part or an overall transparent part forming at least one light well. The structure is capable of illuminating via at least one luminous region of at least one of the main faces, an element having a reflective surface that reflects visible light, placed facing at least one part of the luminous region. The element is switchable and the reflective surface is capable of becoming a substantially transparent surface or an overall transparent surface over at least one area, and vice versa.

Abstract: A flat or substantially flat luminous structure. First and second walls face each other and define an internal space that includes a light source. First and second electrodes for the light source generate electric field lines with at least one component perpendicular to the first and second electrodes, the first electrode supplied or configured to be supplied with a high frequency electromagnetic signal. As an outer covering for the first electrode, an electrical safety system includes an electrical conductor separated from the first electrode by a dielectric, the conductor connected or configured to be connected to a power supply with a potential V and/or with a frequency f, these being adjusted so that the peak value of the external leakage current is equal to 2 mA or less if f is zero, or equal to 0.7 mA or less if f is nonzero.

Abstract: An electrical supply device configured to deliver energy to a structure that includes at least two electrodes and a space containing a gas intended to be excited. The device includes a voltage generator, an inductor connected to the generator and connected to the structure to supply the two electrodes with a periodic voltage of given frequency, and a resonance mechanism for fixing the frequency at substantially the resonant frequency of the system of the structure and the inductor.

Abstract: A flat lamp including at least two glass substrates kept mutually parallel and defined in an internal gas-filled space, including two electrodes associated with the glass substrates and away from the internal space, in which the internal face of at least one substrate turned toward the internal space is coated with a phosphor material. At least one of the electrodes is covered with at least one preferably transparent electrical insulation that may be formed by at least one of the glass substrates or be associated with at least one of the glass substrates.

Abstract: The device for measuring membranes comprises a light-emitting device which is arranged on one side of a transparent material (40) and which comprises a monochromatic light source (42), a fixed polarizer (44) and a photoelastic modulator (46) which gives two reference frequencies f0 and 2f0, a scattering strip (60) placed on the other side of the transparent material, means for moving the emitted light beam (62) over the entire length of the scattering strip, and a device (64) receiving the scattered light which lies on the same side as the emitting device in relation to the transparent material and comprises an analyzer (48), an avalanche photodiode (50), two synchronous-detection amplifiers (54, 56) having as references the two frequencies which are given by the modulator, and an acquisition bench (58) for determining the phase shift of the electrical signal collected at the output of the photodiode, when stresses are exerted in relation to the case in which stresses are not exerted.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and to a device for measuring the thickness of transparent materials. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention concerns the thickness measurement of glass materials and, even more precisely, the thickness measurement of flat glass, in particular float glass. According to the invention, a light beam with modulated frequency is focused, two light beams or rays reflected by each of the surfaces of the transparent material are received, interference is created between them, the number of oscillations per modulation period of the interference signal is determined, the path difference (&dgr;) between the two beams and the thickness (e) of the transparent material are deduced and the phase shift (&phgr;) of the said interference signal is determined. This determination of the phase-shift between the two signals each coming from one of the surfaces of the transparent material can then be used to deduce other characteristics of the said material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the thickness of a transparent material. A light beam from a laser diode has a modulated optical frequency. The emitted light shines on opposite surfaces of a wall of the material and is reflected from both of the surfaces. The two beams are used to form an interference. The difference of step .delta. of the interference signal is then determined. The thickness of the transparent material is determined from this difference of step. The apparatus may be used with bottles of glass or plastic material, whether clear or colored and on flat glass.