Ultraviolet radiation source with envelope having pressure equalization region

摘要

A device for producing ultraviolet radiation of high spectral radiation intensity is disclosed in which the radiation is generated in a mercury-argon-filled discharge tube with a thermoemissive cathode by a wall-stabilized d.c. gas discharge at a mercury pressure pHg between 5 x 10<->3 and 5 x 10<->1 torr, an argon pressure pAr between 0.01 and 10 torr and a current density jo of the discharge current I between 1 and 25 A/cm2, and in which the two electrode spaces are connected to one another through a pressure-equalization region as well as through the discharge region wherein the two electrodes are arranged in tandem in a common envelope, the two arms of the discharge region are joined to the end of the envelope nearest the discharge region so that one arm projects coaxially into the envelope and passes through the toroidal electrode nearest the discharge region, and the inner wall of the envelope and the arm projecting into the envelope are each provided with a collar between the two electrodes, the collars being so arranged with respect to one another as to form a connecting passage acting as a pressure-equalizing region running between the cathode and anode spaces with a first portion running in the cathode/anode direction and a second portion running in the anode/cathode direction.