Electron Discharge Device for Generating Spectral Radiation

摘要

1,193,518. Glow discharge lamps. WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORP. 31 Aug., 1967 [12 Sept., 1966], No. 39903/67. Heading H1D. A radiation source for producing a particular spectral line characteristic of the cathode material, is characterized in that the cathode 22, Fig. 2, is provided with a recess having a crosssectional area of less than 0À049 square inch so that the line corresponding to excitation of neutral atoms sputtered from the cathode has a greater intensity than the line corresponding to excitation of ionized atoms. The recess may be cylindrical and have a diameter A between “ and 1/64 inch, the pressure of the filling varying from 2 mm. for maximum diameter to 100 mm at minimum diameter of the cathode recess. The length B of the recess should be at least half the diameter A, and the filling may be of neon, argon, or helium. Insulating discs 38 and 44 serve to confine the discharge, and the leads 30 to the anode 28 are surrounded by insulating sleeves 46-48. The cathode may be of nickel which produces radiation at a wavelength of 2320 Š, and the envelope includes a window 16 transparent to this wavelength.