Abstract: Method and apparatus for mitigating the transport of debris generated and dispersed from electric discharge sources by thermophoretic and electrostatic deposition. A member is positioned adjacent the front electrode of an electric discharge source and used to establish a temperature difference between it and the front electrode. By flowing a gas between the member and the front electrode a temperature gradient is established that can be used for thermophoretic deposition of particulate debris on either the member or front electrode depending upon the direction of the thermal gradient. Establishing an electric field between the member and front electrode can aid in particle deposition by electrostatic deposition.

Abstract: A flat lamp with horizontal facing electrodes is provided, in which a front substrate and a rear substrate are spaced such as to face each other. Walls between the front and rear substrates form a discharging space filled with a discharge gas. A plurality of front electrodes and a plurality of rear electrodes are provided on facing surfaces of the front and rear substrates, respectively. The front and rear electrodes, formed in strips, are arranged in such a way that the front electrodes alternate with the rear electrodes. Accordingly, the discharging distance between front and rear electrodes is lengthened, and many fine discharging operations occur between tip electrodes extending from the lateral sides of the electrode strips and flat portions of corresponding electrode strips. Therefore, a current concentration is prevented, thereby achieving uniform discharging. Also, brightness of the flat lamp increases.

Abstract: Each sustain electrode of a pair includes a continuous ignition conductor, a bus without any overlap and without any direct contact with the latter, electrical connection between the ignition conductor and the bus, and a connector for spreading the discharge. This arrangement allows the luminous efficiency of sustained discharges to be increased.

Abstract: To provide, in a special situation of a mercury-free lamp in which a luminance flicker tends to occur unlike a mercury-containing lamp, a metal halide lamp having an electrode structure modified so as to suppress the luminous flicker that is suitably used as an automotive headlamp, and an automotive headlamp apparatus incorporating the same. A metal halide lamp includes: a hermetic vessel 1 which is fire resistant and translucent; a pair of electrodes 3, 3 sealed in the hermetic vessel 1 with facing each other at a distant of 5 mm or less, the electrodes each having a shaft part 3a having a diameter of 0.25 mm or more and a tip 3b, which originates an arc, having a curved surface having a radius of one-half or less of the diameter of the shaft part; and a discharge medium essentially containing no mercury, sealed in the hermetic vessel 1, and containing halides of metals including a light-emitting metal in an amount of 0.

Abstract: A discharge lamp includes a luminous bulb in which a luminous material is enclosed and a pair of electrodes are opposed in the luminous bulb; and a pair of sealing portions for sealing a pair of metal foils electrically connected to the pair of electrodes, respectively. At least one of the pair of sealing portions is provided with at least one constricted portion whose length in a thickness direction of the metal foil in the sealing portion is smaller than that of other portions in the sealing portion.

Abstract: In a gas discharge tube 1 of the present invention, a focusing electrode portion 14 and a discharge limiting portion 30 are electrically insulated, and the discharge limiting portion 30 comprises a discharge limiting opening 31 which opposes an arc ball shaping concave portion 16. Thus the formation of a discharge path from a cathode portion 20 to the concave portion 16 is ensured and a starting discharge can be reliably generated. Further, by means of the discharge limiting opening 31 which opposes the concave portion 16, an arc ball S can be continuously maintained in an appropriate shape even when a lamp is illuminated, and thus the arc ball S can be shaped with stability, thereby stabilizing the luminance and light quantity.

Abstract: The invention relates to flat panel display terminals based on cold emission cathodes. The aim of said invention is to develop a full color processing display terminal using a cold emission cathode having high emission characteristics. The inventive cold emission film cathode comprises an insulated substrate which can be made of glass and a nanocrystalline carbon film emitter placed on it, said emitter is embodied in the form of a mono layer of grains of powder of a high temperature resistive material having a grain size ranging from 10?9 to 10?4 m, said grains being covered with a nanocrystalline carbon film. The inventive flat display terminal comprises flat glass plates on one of which a system of cold emission cathodes is arranged, said cathodes are embodied in a form of busbars coated with the mono layer of grains of powder of high temperature resistive material having a grain size ranging from 10?9 to 10?4 m which are covered with a nanocrystalline carbon film.

Abstract: An arrangement with relatively high pressure tightness in a super-high pressure mercury lamp of the short arc type which is operated with an extremely high mercury vapor pressure is achieved by the super-high pressure mercury lamp having the following characteristic: an arc tube portion in which there is a pair of opposed electrodes, and which is filled with greater than or equal to 0.15 mg/mm3 of mercury; and side tube portions which extend from opposite sides of the arc tube portion, in which the electrodes are partially hermetically enclosed, and in which the electrodes and metal foils are welded to one another, and the width of the metal foils in the weld areas is so small that it is less than or equal to the diameter of these electrodes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a low-pressure gas discharge lamp which includes at least one discharge vessel and at least two capacitive coupling-in structures and operates at an operating frequency f. In order to achieve a better efficiency in combination with a small structural volume, a high luminous flux, a low operating voltage, a low electromagnetic emission, a high resistance against switching transients and a long service life for the low-pressure gas discharge lamp, it is proposed to form each capacitive coupling-in structure from at least one dielectric having a thickness d and a dielectric constant ?, each dielectric being subject to the condition d/(f.?)<10?8 cm.s. A substantially larger amount of light can thus be generated per lamp length (lumen/cm).

Abstract: A plasma flat lamp includes an upper plate, a lower plate separated a predetermined distance from the upper plate, a wall portion for forming a sealed discharge space between the upper and lower plates, a discharge gas filled in the discharge space, a first pair of electrodes including a first upper plate electrode and a first lower plate electrode arranged to face each other on each of the upper and lower plates with the discharge space interposed therebetween, and a second pair of electrodes including a second upper plate electrode separated a predetermined distance from the first upper plate electrode and a second lower plate electrode separated a predetermined distance from the first lower plate electrode arranged to face each other on each of the upper and lower plates with the discharge space interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A short arc discharge lamp in which the wear on the cathode tip area is suppressed, in which moreover in the arc discharge only little polarization occurs and flickering in the arc discharge occurs only rarely, and thus, a reduction of illuminance or flickering on the light irradiation surface of a device or the like in which the short arc discharge lamp has been installed is prevented. Furthermore, a short arc discharge lamp is devised in which the radiance is hardly impaired and stable light emission is enabled, even when it is operated over a long time. To obtain these advantages, a short arc discharge lamp which has an essentially spherical arc tube in which there are a cathode and an anode opposite one another, is provided with a cathode in which the cathode tip area has a crystal structure formed of several crystals which, as compared to the crystal size in the back end area of the cathode, are coarsened, and in which the emissive material contained in the cathode tip area is less than or equal to 0.

Abstract: The invention relates to a low-pressure discharge lamp, having a tubular discharge vessel made from glass, the free ends of which are closed off in a gas tight manner, two electrode systems (3) each having a filament (7), two supply conductors (5, 6) and a bead (8) of glass, the ends of the supply conductors (5, 6) being fused into the ends of the discharge vessel which have been closed off in a gas tight manner and, in order to be held in a region between the filament (7) and the discharge vessel fused seal (2), into the bead (8), and a device for switching off the lamp at the end of its service life, comprising a paste (9) which contains a metal hydride and is fitted to the bead (8). According to the invention, the bead (8) consists of a glass material which has a resistivity of greater 108 ?cm at 350° C.

Abstract: An arc tube includes an arc tube body and a pair of electrodes. The arc tube body is formed from a glass tube which is double-spirally wound from a middle portion to both ends around a spiral axis. The pair of electrodes are sealed at both ends of the arc tube body. Mercury is enclosed in the arc tube substantially in a single form. Each of the electrodes includes a multiple-coiled filament which is wound substantially one turn in a last coiling stage.

Abstract: A short arc type super high pressure discharge lamp has a pair of electrodes, a light emitting portion in which greater than 0.15 mg/mm3 is enclosed, and sealing portions provided on both side of the light emitting portion, wherein at least one of the pair of electrodes has a thick portion which extends into one of the sealing portions and a coil is wound around the thick portion in the one of the sealing portion via gap.

Abstract: A short-arc ultra-high pressure mercury lamp in which the change in the shape of the electrodes can be suppressed and a stable arc discharge can always be produced is achieved in an arrangement in which, in the silica glass arc tube, there is a pair of opposed electrodes with a distance between them of at most 2 mm and the tube is filled with at least 0.15 mg/mm3 of mercury, a rare gas, and a halogen in the range from 1×10−6 &mgr;mole/mm3 to 1×10−2 &mgr;mole/mm3, by at least one of the electrodes having a melt part formed toward the electrode tip by winding the electrode rod with a coil and by melting the part of the coil oriented towards the electrode tip at least in the area of its surface. A part of the coil located away from the electrode tip is unmelted and the base point side area of the coil facing away from the electrode tip is rounded and does not have sharp edges.

Abstract: An incandescent electric lamp having a tungsten filament embedded in tightly-packed layers of optically transparent, thermally insulating particles of substantially consistent size and shape and surrounded by an optically transparent, infra-red reflective coating, to provide a high efficiency, cool lighting system.

Abstract: A discharge device has a diode with a depletion region, a channel extending through a surface of the diode, and a gas within the channel. The gas is excited and a discharge formed by reverse biasing the diode and establishing an electric field in the depletion region of the diode.

Abstract: There is provided an improved high-pressure discharge lamp which includes an arc tube encapsulating a halogen, and a pair of tungsten electrodes disposed in the arc tube. The oxygen content in the tungsten electrodes is not more than 15 ppm, while the amount of the encapsulated halogen lies in the range of 1×10−7 to 1×10−2 &mgr;mol/mm3.

Abstract: A fluorescent luminous tube includes a plurality of cathode filaments, a multiplicity of a cathode wirings, each cathode wiring including one or more terminal portions and a wiring portion and being formed of a metal layer, and one or more intermediate portions, each being made of a metal layer. The cathode filament is grouped into at least one set of one or more filaments and filaments in each set are connected in series by fixing an end portion thereof on a terminal portion or an intermediate portion by ultrasonic wire bonding or ultrasonic bonding.

Abstract: A fluorescent lamp (10) with improved life is formed by winding a coil (30) using first, second, and third mandrels (45, 46, 50), the third mandrel having a diameter of at least 1.0 mm. The coil is wound around the second mandrel to provide at least 80 turns per inch (TPI). The third mandrel is larger than in conventional coils, allowing about 50% more emitter material (32) than can be loaded on a conventional coil. This has been found to lead to substantially increased lamp life, about 50% longer for a diameter of 1.25 mm than for a coil with diameter of about 0.86 mm. Increasing the TPI of the second coil over that of a coil having a TPI of 60-70 also increases the lamp life by providing better retention of the emitter material. By combining both the increased third diameter with increased second coil TPI, lifetimes of about twice that of a corresponding conventional coil may be achieved.

Abstract: An electric discharge tube withstands a large electric input, and has a small size. This discharge tube provides a small photographic strobe device and a small photographic camera. The discharge tube includes a glass bulb having a wall thickness ranging from 0.2 to 0.6 mm and filled with rare gas, a pair of main electrodes provided at both ends of the glass bulb, respectively, a trigger electrode formed on the outer surface of the glass bulb, and a film of silicon dioxide having a thickness ranging from 0.05 to 0.11 &mgr;m formed inside of the glass bulb. An electric power not larger than 0.90 Ws/mm3 with respect to the inner volume of the glass bulb is applied between the main electrodes.

Abstract: A metal halide lamp for an automobile headlight is provided, which includes an arc tube in which a pair of tungsten electrodes are provided at both ends and a metal halide as a main component of a luminescent material and xenon gas as a buffer gas are sealed, wherein the tungsten electrodes contain not more than 0.4 wt % of thorium oxide, the metal halide contains scandium iodide, and a pressure of the xenon sealed in the arc tube is at least 0.4 MPa. This makes it possible to provide a long-life metal halide lamp for an automobile headlight that can achieve a further improved lumen maintenance factor and other life characteristics during 2000 hours or more of lighting.

Abstract: A light source device includes at least one discharge tube, a discharge medium sealed inside the discharge tube, and first and second electrodes for exciting the discharge medium. The first electrode is arranged inside or outside the discharge tube, and the second electrode has a plurality of contact portions at which the second electrode is in contact with an outer surface of the discharge tube. The contact portions are located at different distances from the first electrode and are provided discontinuously. Xenon gas and at least one selected from argon gas and krypton gas are sealed in the discharge tube, in which the xenon gas accounts for 60 vol % to 80 vol %. Thus, it is possible to provide a light source device and a liquid crystal display device that provide light emission with high brightness and excellent brightness distribution and that can be manufactured readily.

Abstract: A plasma display panel is provided with a transparent substrate, and scanning electrodes and sustaining electrodes formed on the transparent substrate extending in a first direction. An area of the scanning electrode is smaller than an area of the sustaining electrode in each of display cells. The widths of the scanning electrode and the sustaining electrode in a second direction crossing the first direction are substantially equal to each other.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a cold-cathode fluorescent lamp which can suppress sputtering caused by electric discharge and reduce consumption of mercury so as to achieve a longer lifetime even if a lamp current is large and a lighting tube has a small diameter. The cold-cathode fluorescent lamp according to the present invention is characterized in that a distance between the inner surface of the lighting tube and the outer surface of a cylindrical electrode is set such that electric discharge develops mainly on the inner surface of the cylindrical electrode. When the lighting tube has an inside diameter D1 of 1 to 6 mm and the maximum lamp current is 5 mA or more, an outside diameter D2 of the cylinder electrode is preferably set at D1−0.4 [mm]≦D2<D1.

Abstract: A xenon lamp in which fluctuation of the arc can be suppressed and the time until formation of the flicker phenomenon delayed by having an anode with a flattened or rounded anode tip, a rounded or flattened back end; a portion with a diameter that gradually increases from the anode tip toward the back end of the anode; a portion with a decreasing diameter located behind the portion with the increasing diameter of an axial length which is greater than the length in the axial direction of the portion with an increasing diameter; and a portion with a maximum outside diameter formed in a transition area between the portion with the increasing diameter and the portion with a decreasing diameter, and that the transition area between the portion with the increasing diameter and the portion with the decreasing diameter is formed to be continuous.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a cold-cathode fluorescent lamp which can suppress sputtering caused by electric discharge and reduce consumption of mercury so as to achieve a longer lifetime even if a lamp current is large and a lighting tube has a small diameter. The cold-cathode fluorescent lamp according to the present invention is characterized in that a distance between the inner surface of the lighting tube and the outer surface of a cylindrical electrode is set such that electric discharge develops mainly on the inner surface of the cylindrical electrode. When the lighting tube has an inside diameter D1 of 1 to 6 mm and the maximum lamp current is 5 mA or more, an outside diameter D2 of the cylinder electrode is preferably set at D1−0.4 [mm]≦D2<D1.

Abstract: A high-pressure discharge lamp is effective to prevent initial blackening on an outer casing thereof, is of a long service life, and can easily be manufactured. A tungsten wire is wound as a double coiled winding around an electrode metal rod, leaving a tip end thereof, and the double coiled winding is machined into a melted tip end by a YAG laser beam, with the remaining double coiled winding used as a coil. The left tip end of the metal rod is machined into a nipple on the distal end of the melted tip end. If it is assumed that the melted tip end has a diameter D1 and a length L1 up to its distal end, the nipple has a proximal end having a diameter D2 and a length L2 from the proximal end up to the distal end thereof, and the coil and the melted tip end (including the nipple) have a volume V1 and the melted tip end (including the nipple) has a volume V2, then the electrode assembly is machined to satisfy at least one of the conditions 0.15≦D2/D1≦0.3, 0.2≦L2/L1≦0.4, and 0.2≦V2/V1≦0.4.

Abstract: The invention relates to a discharge lamp, in particular a high-pressure discharge lamp having a discharge vessel, which has at least one sealed-off end which is provided with a current feedthrough. The section of the electrode which extends into said sealed-off end is provided, according to the invention, with a coating, which contains a high-melting metal from the group of the platinum metals, preferably ruthenium.

Abstract: A cold cathode discharge device with high efficiency of light emission and long life is prepared by a cold cathode having both high secondary electron emission and anti-spattering property.

Abstract: An assembly for lamp construction, comprising a solid W component (10) and at least one film (9) having two contact faces, comprising a metallic molybdenum base body and a coating, which is applied at least in part to said base body and which comprises ruthenium or rhenium alone or as an alloy in the region of the first contact face, which produces the contact with the W component, whereas the second contact face is not coated and is intended to be in contact with glass.

Abstract: A high pressure discharge lamp 1A has a light emitting vessel 2A made of a semitransparent ceramic material and having a pair of end portions 2a each with an opening formed in the end portion and a light emitting portion 2a, a pair of discharge electrodes 5, and electrode supporting members 4 each supporting the electrode 5 and fixed to the end portion 2a. The vessel 2A defines an inner space 6 with an ionizable light emitting substance and starter gas filled in the inner space 6. The electrodes 5 are contained in the inner space 6. The light emitting portion 2b has a thicker portion 2g and a thinner portion 2c. The thinner portion 2c has a cross sectional area of not smaller than 35 percent and not larger than 80 percent of that of the thicker portion 2g so that the light emitting portion 2b has a brightness center 9 in the thinner portion 2c.

Abstract: Disclosed is a flat type fluorescent lamp having a discharge space divided into a plurality of discharge areas. The flat type fluorescent lamp includes a first substrate, a second substrate separated from the first substrate in a predetermined distance to provide a discharge space containing a discharge material, first and second electrodes for applying a voltage to the discharge space and being disposed on the second substrate, and a sealing member for sealing side portions of the first and second substrates to isolate the discharge space from a peripheral space thereof. A plurality of barrier ribs having a slender shape are disposed in the discharge space and perpendicular to the first and second electrodes to divide the discharge space into a plurality of discharge areas. Accordingly, plasma converted from the discharge material has a uniform density through out the discharge space, thereby increasing brightness and uniformity of a light to be supplied to a display panel.

Abstract: To provide a lamp seal that avoids cracking of the functionally gradient material in the manufacturing process, that assures adequate mechanical strength of the finished product, and that has improved productivity because of the ease of welding when the light-emitting tube of the lamp is sealed, the lamp seal (20) comprising a functionally gradient material (21) and a lead bar (11), in which the functionally gradient material (21) has layers of mixtures of electrically non-conductive material and conductive material such that one end is non-conductive and the other end is conductive, with layers such that the proportion of conductive material increases in stages or continually moving from one end to the other, in which the lead bar (11) passes through a hole formed in the direction of layering of the functionally gradient material and is attached in the conductive region of the functionally gradient material (21), has the proportion of conductive material at the point of attachment (26) of the lead bar (11) t

Abstract: The invention concerns faceplate, more particularly for plasma display, comprising a substrate on which is provided at least one electrode, made of conductive material consisting of a metal alloy based on aluminium and/or zinc having a melting point higher than 700° C.; the electrode is designed to be coated with a dielectric layer. Thus, the harmful effects derived from reactions of the electrode materials with those of the dielectric layer are limited, in particular when said layer is being cured.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to horizontally burning formed-body arc tubes and arc tube blanks for high intensity discharge lamps. The bottom portion of the light emitting chamber of the arc tubes is flattened in an area between the electrodes to reduce the distance between the bottom wall of the arc tube and the arc, and to increase the surface area of the pool of condensed halides during operation of a metal halide lamp. The flattened bottom of the arc tubes may be generally planar, slightly arcuate longitudinally and/or transversely, or slightly v-shaped longitudinally and/or transversely. The top portion of the arc tube conforms generally to the shape of the arc during operation of the lamp.

Abstract: The invention relates to a gas discharge lamp for dielectrically impeded discharges, which gas discharge lamp is provided with a discharge vessel filled with a gas filling, which discharge vessel comprises at least a wall of a dielectric material and at least a wall having a surface which is at least partly transparent to visible radiation and coated with a phosphor layer, which phosphor layer comprises a phosphor having a host lattice, Eu2+ as the activator and a doping D selected from the group formed by Ce3+, Pr3+ and Tb3+, and provided with an electrode structure for a dielectrically impeded discharge and means for igniting and maintaining the discharge. The invention also relates to a phosphor comprising a host lattice, Eu2+ as the activator and a doping D selected from the group formed by Ce3+, Pr3+ and Tb3+.

Abstract: A luminous element (10) for a lamp is double helix-shaped, with two connection parts (18, 20) situated at one end of said double helix. The diameter (D1, D2) of the double helix increases consistently in the direction of the two connection parts (18, 20) of the luminous element (10). The invention also relates to a lamp with a luminous element of this type, to a method for producing a luminous element of this type and to a device for carrying out the production method.

Abstract: An ultra-high pressure mercury lamp is provided in which the disadvantage caused by projections formed on the electrode tips during operation can be eliminated. This is achieved by an arrangement in which a silica glass arc tube, filled with at least 0.15 mg/mm3 of mercury, rare gas and halogen in the range from 10−6 &mgr;mole/mm3 to 10−2 &mgr;mole/mm3, includes a pair of opposed electrodes spaced a distance of at most 2 mm. Additionally, at least one of the electrodes includes a part with a greater diameter which is formed on the electrode shaft using a melting process, a projection which is formed by the tip of the electrode shaft, and a part with a decreasing diameter which extends from the part with the greater diameter in the direction toward the projection.

Abstract: High pressure vapor discharge lamp provided with a discharge vessel. The discharge vessel encloses a discharge space provided with a filling of mercury and a rare gas, for example, in a gastight manner. An electrode is arranged in the discharge space for generating and maintaining a discharge therein, while the electrode comprises a rod electrode having an enlarged head at its end which projects into the discharge space. According to the invention, the enlarged head comprises a preformed electrode projection having an at least substantially conical shape.

Abstract: A support device is provided for use with an electric lamp having a sealed outer envelope that encloses an environment, and a lamp capsule and end-of-life device positioned within such environment. The support device serves to support the lamp capsule and the end-of-life device within the outer envelope. The end-of-life device is electrically connected in series with the lamp circuit through the support device.

Abstract: A low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp (1) comprising a discharge vessel (2) having two end portions (3), wherein an electrode carrier (9) is arranged in an end portion (3) and carries an electrode (10) for generating and maintaining a discharge in said discharge vessel (2), wherein said electrode carrier (9) is at least partly made of a bimetal or a memory metal, and wherein said electrode carrier (9) is formed such that the distance between said electrode (10) and the far end of said end portion (3) increases if the temperature of said electrode carrier (9) increases.

Abstract: A short arc type mercury lamp in which a cathode and an anode are disposed opposite one another inside an arc tube, at least a noble gas and mercury are filled into the arc tube, cathode contains thorium oxide, a cone-shaped part that continues on from a cathode body is formed on the cathode, and a protruding part that continues on from the cone-shaped part is formed, wherein the number of grain boundaries on a straight line that passes through the approximate center of an arbitrary section in the radial direction of the protruding part is at least 0.5 per mm but not more than 100 per mm.

Abstract: A metal halide lamp having a ceramic discharge vessel with two ends which are closed off by stoppers, and an electrically conductive leadthrough guided through this stopper. An electrode with a shank secured to the leadthrough, which electrode projects into the interior of the discharge vessel. The leadthrough and electrode referred to as an electrode system, comprises two components, which are designed as pins of different diameter, the larger component being a niobium pin and the smaller component, which adjoins it on the inner, discharge side, being a pin made from molybdenum or tungsten which is fitted in a bore in the niobium pin. The ratio of the diameter of the smaller component to that of the Nb pin is between 30 and 65%, and the pin which has been fitted in is secured in the bore by a mechanical pressing operation.

Abstract: A high pressure discharge lamp includes a quartz glass bulb, a conductive element which is sealed at a sealing portion of the bulb, and a pair of electrodes. Each electrode is disposed in the quartz glass bulb so as to be opposite the other and connected to the conductive element. A part of each electrode is sealed with the quartz glass bulb at the sealing portion so as to generate a contacting portion formed by the part of each electrode and the bulb. The maximum length, Lmax, of the contacting portion is defined as: Lmax (mm)≦200/(P×D); and the minimum length, Lmin, of the contacting portion is defined as: Lmin (mm)≧0.8/(D2×&pgr;) or Lmin (mm)≧0.7 whichever is longer, where D is the diameter (mm) of the electrode and P is the power (W) supplied to the electrode.

Abstract: An arrangement with relatively high pressure tightness in a super-high pressure mercury lamp which is operated with an extremely high mercury vapor pressure is achieved the following: an emission part contains a pair of opposed electrodes, each of which has a side section and an end face, and which is filled with at least 0.15 mg/mm3 mercury; side tube parts made of quartz glass extend from opposite sides of the emission part and the side section and end face of a respective electrode is partially hermetically enclosed is each side part; the electrodes are arranged in side tube parts with a small intermediate space formed between the side sections and the end faces of the electrodes and the quartz glass of which the side tube parts is made; and the side parts of the electrodes have at least partially concave-convex areas in the side tube parts.

Abstract: A high pressure discharge lamp includes a quartz glass bulb, a conductive element which is sealed at a sealing portion of the bulb, and a pair of electrodes. Each electrode is disposed in the quartz glass bulb so as to be opposite the other and connected to the conductive element. A part of each electrode is sealed with the quartz glass bulb at the sealing portion so as to generate a contacting portion formed by the part of each electrode and the bulb. The maximum length, Lmax, of the contacting portion is defined as: Lmax (mm)≦200/(P×D); and the minimum length, Lmin, of the contacting portion is defined as: Lmin (mm)≧0.8/(D2×&pgr;) or Lmin (mm)≧0.7 whichever is longer, where D is the diameter (mm) of the electrode and P is the power (W) supplied to the electrode.

Abstract: A flat type fluorescent lamp that serves as an illuminating unit and a back light of a large sized liquid crystal panel. The flat type fluorescent lamp includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a first electrode formed on the first substrate, the first electrode including a plurality of protrusions, a phosphor layer formed on the second substrate, a second electrode formed on the phosphor layer, and supports selectively formed between the first substrate and the second substrate. A method for manufacturing a flat type fluorescent lamp comprising the steps of forming a first electrode with protrusions at different intervals on a first substrate, forming a barrier layer over an entire surface of the first substrate including the first electrode, forming a phosphor layer on a second substrate, forming a second electrode on the phosphor layer, selectively forming supports between the first substrate and the second substrate and bonding the first substrate to the second substrate.

Abstract: A metal vapor discharge lamp including an arc tube 1 that includes a container 10 and power transmission members 20a and 20b. The container 10, made of translucent ceramic, is divided into a main tube portion 11 and narrow tube portions 12a and 12b extending out from both ends of the main tube portion 11. The power transmission members 20a and 20b respectively include electrode pins 21a and 21b made of tungsten. Coils 22a and 22b made of tungsten are respectively wound around ends of electrode pins 21a and 21b, which are respectively joined with electrode supporting members 23a and 23b made of conductive cermet. Electrode length L1 is set to (0.041P+0.5) mm to (0.041P+8.0) mm, “P” representing a lamp power in watts. Alternatively, a narrow tube portion length L2 is set to (0.032P+3.5) mm to (0.032P+8.0) mm inclusive.

Abstract: A gas discharge lamp with at least one capacitive coupling structure (2, 3) is described, which lamp has the particular characteristic that the coupling structure (2, 3) comprises a ceramic material which comprises pure BaTiO3. In particular an additional doping of at least part of the BaTiO3 with barium leads to a material whose Curie temperature and saturation polarization are substantially higher and whose coercitive field strength is substantially smaller, so that a gas discharge lamp with a coupling structure manufactured from this material can be operated at substantially higher temperatures and at a lower operating voltage. Various dopings of the BaTiO3 with titanium, manganese, and lead are furthermore described.