Abstract: A system for thermionic arc extinction via anode ion depletion. The system includes a fixed terminal end including at least a fixed conductor containing at least a fixed contact. The system includes a moveable terminal end including at least a moveable conductor containing at least a moveable contact. The system includes a body including an inner compartment, wherein the inner compartment includes at least an arc shield housing at least two arcing contacts, the at least two arcing contacts including at least an anode contact and at least a cathode contact.

Abstract: An arc tube for a discharge bulb includes: an electrode assembly that has an electrode bar and a molybdenum foil, wherein an overlapping portion of an end portion of the electrode bar and a molybdenum foil is joined by spot welding; a pinch seal portion that seals a part of the electrode assembly, the part including at least the molybdenum foil; and a closed glass bulb, into which a tip of the electrode bar protrudes, the closed glass bulb forming a discharge light-emitting portion, wherein the size of a recess, which is a weld mark, in the molybdenum foil on the side opposite to a joint portion, at which the molybdenum foil and the electrode bar are joined with each other, is within a range from 0.07 mm2 to 0.25 mm2.

Abstract: An all-metal electron emissive structure for low-pressure lamps is disclosed. The all-metal electron emissive structure consisting of one or more metal is operable to emit electrons in response to a thermal excitation, wherein an active region of the electron emissive structure under steady state operating conditions has a temperature greater than about 1500 degree K, and wherein the cathode fall voltage in the discharge medium under steady state operating conditions is less than about 100 volts. A lamp including an envelope, an electrode including the all-metal electron emissive structure, and a medium, is also disclosed.

Abstract: A ceramic discharge vessel is described that is provided a feedthrough comprised of a molybdenum alloy containing at least 75 weight percent molybdenum and greater than 5 weight percent of nickel and at least one other alloying metal selected from copper and iron, wherein the weight ratio of the amount of nickel to the combined amount of copper and iron, Ni:(Fe,Cu), in the alloy is in the range of 1:1 to 9:1. The thermal expansion coefficient of the alloy is sufficiently matched to that of the ceramic so that the feedthrough may be sealed to the discharge vessel without causing cracking. Preferably, the feedthrough is directly sealed to the ceramic discharge vessel without the use of an intermediate frit material.

Abstract: A high pressure discharge lamp, in which an anode and a cathode are disposed opposite each other in a bulb, achieves a long service life due to thorium (Th) being stably supplied to the cathode tip for a long time after lamp operation has been commence since the formation of the flicker phenomenon is suppressed over a long time due to the cathode being made of tungsten which contains thorium oxide on a surface space from the cathode tip, a carbide layer of tungsten carbide is formed and the cathode being bordered by an emitter containing body of tungsten which contains thorium dioxide, and a carbide layer of tungsten carbide being formed at least in a region bordering the cathode.

Abstract: Described is a high intensity discharge lamp including a lamp bulb envelope, first and second electrodes, a seal and a fill situated within the lamp bulb envelope. The lamp bulb envelope is composed of single crystal sapphire tubing. The lamp bulb envelope includes end portions and a central portion, the central portion having a greater diameter than the end portions. The end portions may be a cylindrical tube shape and the central portion is a smooth three-dimensional shape. The first and second electrodes extend through opposite ends of the lamp bulb envelope so that at least a portion of each of the electrodes is situated within the lamp bulb envelope. The seal seals each of the first and second electrodes to an inside wall of the corresponding end of the lamp bulb envelope. A voltage is applied to the first and second electrodes to generate an arc plasma therebetween.

Abstract: A gas discharge lamp comprising an electrode including a carrier of an electrode metal, selected from the group formed by tungsten and tungsten-containing alloys, and a first coating of a first electron-emitting material, which material comprises an alkaline earth metal oxide, selected from the group formed by calcium oxide, strontium oxide and barium oxide, and a rare earth metal oxide, selected from the group formed by scandium oxide, yttrium oxide and europium oxide, in a quantity a that ranges from 0.1 to 10 wt. % by weight, is characterized by a longer service life, a higher resistance to poisoning and a robust manner of coping with a rapid succession of switching operations, as well as a short ignition stage.

Abstract: An electric lamp with a simple welding/brazing connection comprises an electric element (2) in a translucent lamp vessel (1) with current supply conductors (4, 5) and a lamp cap (6) connected to the vessel (1) and having a shell portion (7) and a base portion (8) carrying an electric contact (9). The current supply conductor (4, 5) passes through the surface of this contact (9) to the exterior and is welded/brazed to it by means of a solidified connection body (10) of aluminum with a dope of silicon in an amount ranging from 5 to 16 % weight.

Abstract: An integrated lamp head for an electrodeless lamp includes a metal-matrix composite enclosure, an insulating ceramic encased by the metal-matrix enclosure, the insulating ceramic having an interior surface, and an excitation structure integrally formed on the interior surface of the insulating ceramic. The excitation structure may include an excitation coil such as a wedding ring shaped excitation coil or a coil having a cross sectional shape similar to an upper-case Greek letter omega. The integrated lamp head optionally includes a pre-formed connection from an exterior portion of the integrated lamp head to the excitation structure and/or a conductive insert in an area of a solder connection point.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to new electrode structures for use in fluorescent lamps in which a tungsten base structure is provided with electron emissive materials including one or more of barium titanate, barium zirconate, barium strontium zirconate, barium cerium oxide, barium tantalate, and barium strontium yittrium oxide. Amounts of MgO may be added to improve or change emitter properties. A composite electrode structure can be formed by way of coating a tungsten coil with a slurry of this material, or providing powdered mixtures of both the electron emissive material and tungsten material and sintering this powdered material into a high density composite electrode structure.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electrode assembly particularly for electrodes in which the electrode consists of a material which is non-conducive to soldering of an electrical wire thereto. A retaining wing is forcibly fitted on an electrode having a closed circumferential wall member. An electrical wire is attached to the ring member which consists of a weldable or solderable material.

Abstract: There is presented a cold cathode subminiature fluorescent lamp comprising a glass envelope, a pair of lead wires sealed to the envelope and extending through the envelope at an entry location to the interior thereof, an electrode mounted on the lead wires in the envelope, and a ceramic-glass bead formed on and around the lead wires in the envelope between the electrode and the entry location. The electrode includes a plurality of metal wire tabs. The envelope contains a fill gas comprising neon and argon.

Abstract: A gas discharge device includes an envelope containing a low pressure gas and a field emitter array having microscopic emitter elements which emit electrons into the gas. The device can be employed, for example, in a gas discharge lamp.

Abstract: A cathode for a laser generator includes a monolithic substrate consisting essentially of a nonconductive material and including a thin film of a conductive material deposited thereon. The substrate has an inner and outer surface, the thin film substantially contiguously covers the substrate and prevents exposure of the substrate over the life of the cathode, and the conductive thin film is oversprayed onto a portion of the substrate's outer surface so as to allow electrical contact from the outer surface to the inner surface.

Abstract: A cathode for a laser generator consists of a monolithic body consisting essentially of beryllium and beryllium oxide where the beryllium oxide has a concentration greater than 4%. The monolithic substrate may be comprised of a conductive or nonconductive material. A thin film of beryllium having a controlled amount of BeO is deposited onto the substrate so as to be thick enough to continuously cover the substrate and so as to prevent exposure of the substrate over the life of the cathode. The BeO content is greater than 4.0%. The BeO layer is deposited by a conventional thin film deposition method such as e-beam deposition, i-beam deposition, molecular beam epitaxy or other deposition processes. The BeO may advantageously be deposited using a Be target with a 4.0% BeO content, a Be target in an oxygen atmosphere, or a Be and a BeO target sputtered together.

Abstract: The high-pressure gas discharge lamp according to the invention has electrodes which comprise an electrode rod 24 and a helical winding 26 near its tip 25 projecting into the lamp vessel, both of mainly tungsten. The winding 26 has a first layer of turns 27 helically wound around the rod 24 and locally having a turn of high pitch 29. The winding 26 has around the first layer 27 an outer layer of turns 28, at least two of the outer layer turns interlock with the turn of the high pitch 29 of the first layer 27 at contact areas 30. The turns engage with clamping fit the rod 24 diametrically opposite thereto. As a result, the winding 26 is fixed on the rod 24. If the first layer 27 is integral with the outer layer 28, the winding 26 can be sufficiently fixed with one turn of outer layer 28 interlocking with the high pitched turn 29.

Abstract: An X-ray generator comprises an anode (4) and a cathode (10) disposed in an enclosure (2) under low helium pressure and powered by an electric pulse generator (20) providing sufficient voltage in order to generate runaway electrons. The emission face of the cathode is a section of an emission plate (10) constituted by a carbon felt whose fibers have a privileged orientation perpendicular to said face in order to encourage the emission of electrons from said face. The invention is particularly applicable to pre-ionizing the discharge chamber of a gas laser.

Abstract: The high-power radiator comprises a discharge space (12) bounded by a metal electrode (8), cooled on one side, and a dielectric (9). The discharge space (12) is filled with a noble gas or gas mixture. Both the dielectric (9) and the other electrode situated on the surface of the dielectric (9) facing away from the discharge space (12) are transparent for the radiation generated by quiet electric discharges. In this manner, a large-area UV radiator with high efficiency is created which can be operated at high electrical power densities of up to 50 kW/m.sup.2 of active electrode surface.