Abstract: An electrical discharge lighting apparatus includes: a bulb including a chamber section comprising transparent material and containing a gas that is responsive to electric current to emit light; an ionizing conductor configured and disposed to provide a voltage across the gas to ionize and break down the gas; and an electrode physically separate from the ionizing conductor and configured and disposed to induce a current through the gas.

Abstract: An image projection apparatus includes a light source configured to cause a light-emitting material to emit light by an electric discharge between a pair of electrodes; an image forming unit configured to form an image by modulating intensity of the light emitted from the light source; a receiving unit configured to receive a power-off input that triggers stopping power supply to the image projection apparatus; and an electric-power control unit configured to increase electric power supplied to the electrodes before stopping power supply to the image projection apparatus when the receiving unit receives the power-off input.

Abstract: A lighting system that includes a lamp and a control circuit configured to apply signals to the lamp in pulsed mode operation. The lamp may employ ferroelectric ceramic cathodes to enhance life of the lamp when used with the pulsed mode drive circuitry. The drive circuitry applies signals within a desired frequency range to lower input power while providing enhance output within a desired wavelength band, such as 365 nm to make use of an afterglow regime from an emissive medium within the lamp.

Abstract: Scanning electrodes are shared between adjacent display lines. Sustaining electrodes are disposed between the scanning electrodes by two. The sustaining electrodes form display lines by gaps with adjacent scanning electrodes. The sustaining electrodes are separated into a first sustaining electrode group in which a plurality of sustaining electrodes disposed at the one side of the scanning electrode are commonly connected and a second sustaining electrode group in which a plurality of sustaining electrodes disposed at the other side of the scanning electrode are commonly connected to be independently driven.

Abstract: A discharge lamp which eliminates the large line noise that forms in discharge lamps during startup while preventing heat loss in the transformer by providing a pair of opposed electrodes for the main discharge and an auxiliary electrode arranged such that it does not come into contact with the discharge space for the main discharge, a feed circuit for supplying the discharge current to the electrodes for the main discharge, and a starter circuit which produces a high voltage between one of the electrodes for the main discharge and the auxiliary electrode. The high voltage generating part of the starter circuit which includes at least a high voltage transformer that is separated from the feed circuit while the discharge lamp and the high voltage generating part are formed as an integral unit.

Abstract: Light source device which includes a discharge lamp which contains at least 0.15 mg mercury per cubic millimeter of the volume of the discharge space, a pair of electrodes opposite one another to create the main discharge and spaced a distance from one another of less than or equal to 2.5 mm, and an auxiliary electrode arranged such that it does not come into contact with the discharge space for the main discharge. The light source device further including a feed circuit to feed the discharge current to the electrodes for the main discharge, and a starter which produces a high voltage between one of the electrodes of the two electrodes for the main discharge and the auxiliary discharge, such that the starter produces a voltage two to five times as high as the voltage necessary for starting the main discharge in the lamp at the room temperature state.

Abstract: A plasma display panel, one of flat panel display device, having improved electrical connections and the driving method thereof are disclosed. The plasma display panel and the driving method thereof have the advantage of diminishing the number of the high voltage driving ICs of high price by effectively constituting the connections of the discharge electrodes to diminish the number of the driving circuits. In addition, since the total scan electrodes are divided into two blocks, and are driven sequentially and alternately from a block to another, the influence of crosstalks by the leakage of the space charge may be diminished by disposing scan electrodes concurrently impressed with voltage signals to be relatively far apart.

Abstract: A method of operating cold cathode in discharge lamps, including discharge lamps operating with a dielectrically hindered discharge that include two electroconducive electrodes facing each other between which a ferro-electric material is sandwiched. At least one of the electrodes presents one or more openings. When the cathode is operating, a voltage of quickly alternating polarity is applied to both electrodes, thereby freeing electrons on the surface of the ferro-electric material. The working voltage of the discharge lamp causes an acceleration of said electrons, which pass through the openings towards the anode and are used for igniting the discharge lamp and keeping it in an operating mode.

Abstract: A cold-cathode discharge tube having an anode and a cathode is provided with a proximity conductor which is divided into a first and second proximity conductor members arranged on the outer bottom surface of the discharge tube below the cathode and below the anode respectively. A high voltage is applied to the first conductor member below the cathode, and the second conductor member below the anode is grounded.

Abstract: The invention provides a high-pressure discharge lamp incorporating an outer envelope storing a pair of electric terminals a plurality of arc tubes which are respectively stored in this outer envelope and electrically connected in parallel, and a plurality of ignition aids available for assisting operating of these arc tubes, where these ignition aids are provided for each of these arc tubes and contain potentials different from each other. In addition, the invention also provides a lighting system for operating the high-pressure discharge lamp.

Abstract: A charged particle beam generating apparatus of multi-stage acceleration type includes a charged particle beam source and a multi-stage acceleration tube having a plurality of acceleration electrodes arranged in cascade over a plurality of stages within the tube. A plurality of outer shield electrodes are disposed in concentrical relation on the radially outer side of the multi-stage acceleration tube over the plural stages to be applied with the same potentials as those of the associated acceleration electrodes respectively. Finally, a plurality of dividing resistors are disposed outside of the multi-stage acceleration tube or between the outer shield electrodes and the multi-stage acceleration tube so as to apply predetermined potentials to the acceleration electrodes, respectively.

Abstract: A fluorescent lamp has an envelope tube forming a gas-tight enclosure about a pair of externally-energizable filaments which generate a plasma discharge for conversion to visible light; a keep-alive electrode is located adjacent to at least one filament. A dimming control circuit individually externally energizes each keep-alive electrode to generate an auxiliary discharge, between that keep-alive electrode and the adjacent filament, at a magnitude sufficient to maintain the adjacent filament in the spot mode of operation even if the main plasma discharge current is varied over a range sufficient to change the visible light output of the lamp over at least a 10:1 range.

Abstract: A plurality of electrodes (7, 10) are arranged along two rows facing each other in pairs, leaving a spark gap in between the rows of electrodes. Each row comprises a plurality of electrodes connected in parallel. The electrodes are in a gas. The problem is to trigger simultaneous arcs between each pair of electrodes. This is achieved by extending an insulated conductor (15) parallel to the rows and then in applying pulses to the insulated conductor to obtain a corona discharge around it. The resulting ions suddenly reduce the striking potential across the spark gap. A potential difference is applied across the gap by a generator (12). The potential is below the nonionized striking potential and above the ionized striking potential. The sudden drop in striking potential ensures that all pairs of electrodes strike substantially simultaneously. The apparatus can be used to excite a high repetition rate gas laser generators.

Abstract: A coaxial high voltage, high current switch having a solid cylindrical cold cathode coaxially surrounded by a thin hollow cylindrical inner electrode and a larger hollow cylindrical outer electrode. A high voltage trigger between the cathode and the inner electrode causes electrons to be emitted from the cathode and flow to the inner electrode preferably through a vacuum. Some of the electrons penetrate the inner electrode and cause a volumetric discharge in the gas (which may be merely air) between the inner and outer electrodes. The discharge provides a low impedance path between a high voltage charge placed on the outer electrode and a load (which may be a high power laser) coupled to the inner electrode. For high repetition rate the gas between the inner and outer electrodes may be continuously exchanged or refreshed under pressure.

Abstract: A double-ended thyratron is provided which has, at each end, three grids between a cathode and adjacent voltage withstanding gap, the final grid being connected to its associated cathode. In a circuit arrangement including the thyratron, the first grid adjacent a cathode at each end is connected to a source of current bias and the intermediate grids at each end are connected to mutually isolated trigger signal sources.

Abstract: An apparatus for initiating electrical discharge in a gas transport laser having two or more sets of electrodes comprises a pulse generator connected to both sets of electrodes. The pulse generator comprises an alternating current (AC) source connected to the primary windings of two transformers having secondaries connected to the sets, respectively of electrodes. By energizing the transformers after the application of a direct current (DC) voltage across the electrodes of each set, a discharge across the sets of electrodes occurs simultaneously for a balanced starting of the lasing action.The invention also comprehends the method of starting a laser having a plurality of sets of electrodes consisting of the steps of applying a DC potential across each set of electrodes and transmitting at least one voltage pulse simultaneously to one of the electrodes of each set to produce simultaneously an electrical discharge between all sets of electrodes.