Abstract: An electrode (1) for a high-pressure discharge lamp, having an electrode head (3) and an electrode rod (2), connected to electrode head (3) and defines a longitudinal axis (L). The electrode head (3) comprises a main section (4) on the same side as the electrode rod (2), an intermediate section (5) and an end section (9) on the opposite side from the electrode rod (2). The end surface of the end section (9) of the electrode head (3) is formed at least approximately semicircularly, and at least one subsection of the intermediate section (5) is cylindrically shaped. The extent (D2) of the cylindrical subsection of the intermediate section (5) in at least one direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis is greater than the diameter (D3) of the semicircular end surface of the end section (9), but less than the largest transverse extent (D1) of the main section.

Abstract: An electrode (1) for a high-pressure discharge lamp, having an electrode head (3) and an electrode rod (2), connected to electrode head (3) and defines a longitudinal axis (L). The electrode head (3) comprises a main section (4) on the same side as the electrode rod (2), an intermediate section (5) and an end section (9) on the opposite side from the electrode rod (2). The end surface of the end section (9) of the electrode head (3) is formed at least approximately semicircularly, and at least one subsection of the intermediate section (5) is cylindrically shaped. The extent (D2) of the cylindrical subsection of the intermediate section (5) in at least one direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis is greater than the diameter (D3) of the semicircular end surface of the end section (9), but less than the largest transverse extent (D1) of the main section.

Abstract: A method for operating a gas discharge lamp featuring a gas discharge lamp burner and a first and a second electrode, wherein the electrodes have a nominal electrode separation in the gas discharge lamp burner before their first activation and said nominal separation is correlated to the lamp voltage. The method may include checking whether the off-time, corresponding to the time duration between two DC voltage phases, has expired; and if the off-time has expired, omitting commutations or applying pseudo-commutations for a predefined time duration which depends on the lamp voltage in such a way that a time duration of the omission of at least one of commutations and application of pseudo-commutations is predefined for each lamp voltage.

Abstract: The invention relates to a high-pressure discharge lamp (1) having a burner (2), which is provided with a starting aid device (30, 32) for improving the starting behavior. Said device is configured according to the invention as a grid (30) encompassing the burner in the region of a ceramic (6) holding the burner (2) and having contact with a power feed (24). Said grid (30) acts as a starting aid and as protection against fragments in case of a burner explosion.

Abstract: A method for operating a gas discharge lamp featuring a gas discharge lamp burner and a first and a second electrode, wherein the electrodes have a nominal electrode separation in the gas discharge lamp burner before their first activation and said nominal separation is correlated to the lamp voltage. The method may include checking whether the off-time, corresponding to the time duration between two DC voltage phases, has expired; and if the off-time has expired, omitting commutations or applying pseudo-commutations for a predefined time duration which depends on the lamp voltage in such a way that a time duration of the omission of at least one of commutations and application of pseudo-commutations is predefined for each lamp voltage.

Abstract: A method for operating a gas discharge lamp may include; the gas discharge lamp is operated using an intermittently constant lamp current, whose time-relative average value of the frequency is predetermined by the lamp voltage of the gas discharge lamp in the steady state, wherein the lamp current has predefined commutation points in the temporal course, and a commutation for generating a commutation pattern can take place at these commutation points, wherein the time-relative average value of the frequency of the lamp current is adjusted by means of a variation of the commutation pattern.

Abstract: The invention relates to a high-pressure discharge lamp (1) having a burner (2), which is provided with a starting aid device (30, 32) for improving the starting behavior. Said device is configured according to the invention as a grid (30) encompassing the burner in the region of a ceramic (6) holding the burner (2) and having contact with a power feed (24). Said grid (30) acts as a starting aid and as protection against fragments in case of a burner explosion.