Low voltage operation of arc discharge devices
US4504955A · kind A · utility
4Cited by
8References
19Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 13, 1982 |
| Grant date | Mar 12, 1985 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 13, 2002 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/0977
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
In an arc discharge device, a thin film bridges the gap(s) between adjacent electrodes, thereby enabling the arc discharge to be initiated and sustained by a low voltage D.C. supply. Application of the invention to both light source (e.g., laser) and material working (e.g., metal deposition) embodiments is described. One of the light source embodiments utilizes a cathode electrode which includes a pool of liquid Hg to generate a Hg ion plasma.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.