摘要 |
A radiation source (36), in particular a discharge lamp suitable for operating a dielectrically hindered pulsed discharge by means of a ballast (37), has at least one electrode (41a, 41b) separated by dielectric material (40a, 40b) from the inside of the discharge vessel. By appropriately designing at least one of the electrodes (39) and/or the dielectric material (40a, 40b), local field reinforcement areas are created, so that during the pulsed mode of operation one or more dielectrically hindered individual discharges are generated exclusively in these areas, maximum one individual discharge being generated in each area. These areas are obtained in particular by shortening the spacing in locally limited areas, for example by providing on one of the electrodes hemispherical projections (42a, 42b-44a, 44b) which extend towards the counter-electrode. This measure achieves a time-stable discharge structure with a high useful radiation effectiveness uniformly distributed throughout the discharge vessel (38). |