Developing Mechanism of Emission in Xenon Discharge Lamps with Inner and Outer Electrodes

Abstract

We investigated a developing mechanism of emission in a xenon discharge lamp with inner and outer electrodes using a high-speed electronic camera. At a low operating frequency, a negative glow appears on the inner surface of the glass tube during the positive half cycle while the inner electrode operates as an anode, and a diffused positive column appears in the discharge space during the negative half cycle while the inner electrode works as a cathode. At a high operating frequency, a contracted positive column appears in the center of discharge space near the inner electrode during the positive half cycle and the negative half cycle. VUV radiation intensity and phosphor emission intensity in the diffused positive column are three-times greater than those in the contracted positive column.