PROCESS FOR OPERATING AN INCOHERENTLY EMITTING RADIATION SOURCE

摘要

A gas-discharge lamp radiating incoherent light has the electrodes fed by a series of voltage pulses whose shape varies with time, between which are periods of zero voltage. The pulse amplitudes equal the restrike voltage. The duration of the pulses and the spaces between them vary according to the gas filling, the arc length, the dielectric layers between the electrodes and the gas and the electrode configuration. The pulse duration in particular lies between .01 and 10 microseconds whereas the product of pulse duration and gas pressure lies between .01 and 10 Pascal- seconds. The pulse amplitude also depends on the same factors and in particular, lies between .01 and 1 volt per centimetre of arc length per Pascal pressure.