Abstract: A gas-discharge device is provided in which a dielectric member is disposed between a pair of metal members and has one or more openings to provide one or more gas-discharge cells. A surface portion of the dielectric member extends alongside a discharge path in each cell to be placed in a certain charge condition during a gas-discharge and to control field conditions and a timing delay to a subsequent discharge. With the proper applied operating voltage, which may be of alternating polarity, a repeated breakdown operation is obtained at a low frequency. For display applications, a panel is provided having a multiplicity of cells which are operable from a common operating voltage and which develop glow discharges at random times, thereby producing a random flashing or sparkling effect over at least a portion of the panel.

Abstract: This disclosure depicts a method of making an extended-area cellular spacer-support for separating electrodes in a luminescent display panel and/or for providing support against atmospheric pressure on the panel. The method comprises forming a stack of mutually registered open lattices of highly flexible insulative filaments, including tensing the filaments while spacing them such that the stack of filaments defines an array of narrow transverse openings therethrough which serve in the panel as image-element-associated radiation or particle passageways in the stack. The lattices of filaments are then mutually bonded to form a unitary cellular latticework.