EP0466138A1 - Entladungslampe mit Kaltkathode - Google Patents

Entladungslampe mit Kaltkathode Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0466138A1
EP0466138A1 EP91111508A EP91111508A EP0466138A1 EP 0466138 A1 EP0466138 A1 EP 0466138A1 EP 91111508 A EP91111508 A EP 91111508A EP 91111508 A EP91111508 A EP 91111508A EP 0466138 A1 EP0466138 A1 EP 0466138A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
bulb
cold cathode
electron emitting
discharge lamp
discharge
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP91111508A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0466138B1 (de
Inventor
Masami Takagi
Naoki Tsutsui
Masahiko Asakura
Masahiro Ishizuka
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Toshiba Lighting and Technology Corp
Original Assignee
Toshiba Lighting and Technology Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Toshiba Lighting and Technology Corp filed Critical Toshiba Lighting and Technology Corp
Publication of EP0466138A1 publication Critical patent/EP0466138A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0466138B1 publication Critical patent/EP0466138B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J61/00—Gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps
    • H01J61/02—Details
    • H01J61/30—Vessels; Containers
    • H01J61/35—Vessels; Containers provided with coatings on the walls thereof; Selection of materials for the coatings
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J61/00—Gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps
    • H01J61/02—Details
    • H01J61/04—Electrodes; Screens; Shields
    • H01J61/06—Main electrodes
    • H01J61/067—Main electrodes for low-pressure discharge lamps
    • H01J61/0675—Main electrodes for low-pressure discharge lamps characterised by the material of the electrode
    • H01J61/0677—Main electrodes for low-pressure discharge lamps characterised by the material of the electrode characterised by the electron emissive material
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J61/00—Gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps
    • H01J61/02—Details
    • H01J61/54—Igniting arrangements, e.g. promoting ionisation for starting
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J61/00—Gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps
    • H01J61/70—Lamps with low-pressure unconstricted discharge having a cold pressure < 400 Torr
    • H01J61/76—Lamps with low-pressure unconstricted discharge having a cold pressure < 400 Torr having a filling of permanent gas or gases only
    • H01J61/78—Lamps with low-pressure unconstricted discharge having a cold pressure < 400 Torr having a filling of permanent gas or gases only with cold cathode; with cathode heated only by discharge, e.g. high-tension lamp for advertising

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a cold cathode discharge lamp with a phosphor film formed inside the bulb, particularly relates to a cold cathode xenon discharge lamp.
  • the initial electrons triggering discharge include thermoelectrons, photoelectrons, electrons emitted by a high electric field, and cosmic rays in the nature.
  • thermoelectrons When a discharge lamp is left in dark atmosphere where no external light reaches, startup is difficult because cosmic rays are present as initial electrons since no photoelectron is present.
  • photoelectrons When the lamp is used in completely-shielded housing or casing, startup by photoelectrons cannot be expected because light in the nature may hardly reach.
  • thermoelectrons a heating-type electrode with a complicated structure is necessary because thermoelectrons are supplied by heating the electrode with thermoelectron emitting material.
  • the starting characteristic in the dark is inferior because the cold cathode does not emit thermoelectrons for startup.
  • the cold cathode xenon discharge lamp has a disadvantage that the starting characteristic of the lamp in the dark is inferior.
  • CaO does not preferably function in the complete dark because it does not emit electrons unless there is external light. Therefore, it is inferior in reliability.
  • Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the cold cathode xenon discharge lamp used for the back light of an liquid crystal display (LCD), in which numeral 10 represents a glass bulb.
  • LCD liquid crystal display
  • the bulb 10 in this embodiment is made of a straight tube having approximately circular cross section with the outside diameter of 6.5 mm, the inside diameter of 5.0 mm, and the overall length of, for example, 270 mm, in which a discharge space 11 is specified.
  • the both ends of the bulb 10 is sealed by a button stem 12.
  • Two electrodes 20 is installed on these stems 12 respectively.
  • the electrodes are separate by 250 mm from each other.
  • the electrode 20 is a cold cathode which includes an electrode body 21 made by forming a nickel plate into a cylinder and a lead wire 22 connected to the electrode body 21.
  • the lead wire 22 passes through the button stem 12 with it kept airtight and is led to the outside.
  • the above discharge space 11 of the bulb 10 is filled with discharge gas consisting of 100% xenon gas at the pressure of 100 Torr.
  • discharge gas consisting of 100% xenon gas at the pressure of 100 Torr.
  • Mixture gas between xenon and noble gas such as argon or neon may be used for the discharge gas instead of 100% xenon gas.
  • the inner surface of the bulb 10 exposed to the discharge space 11 is coated with a phosphor film 15 excluding the both ends or portions close to electrodes.
  • the phosphor film 15 is made of cerium-terbium activation aluminate phosphor emitting green light with the peak wavelength of approx. 540 nm.
  • the phosphor is not restricted to the above substance. It is also possible to use a general three-band phosphor made by mixing three phosphors having luminous areas of blue, green, and red respectively.
  • the electron emitting substance referred in this specification means a substance which emits electrons by the stimulus energy equal to or less than the work function in the dark. Such stimulus energy may be a thermal energy of for example, a soon temperature of 25°C.
  • the electron emitting substance layer 18 is made of translucent metallic oxide such as ⁇ -alumina, ⁇ -alumina (Al2O3), magnesia (MgO), zinc oxide (ZnO), and lead oxide (PbO).
  • This embodiment uses a layer made of ⁇ -alumina powder for the electron emitting substance layer 18 because it is stable in the electron emitting characteristic.
  • Such an electron emitting substance is known in BRITISH JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS, Vol. 9, March 1958, "A survey of exo-electron emission phenomena".
  • the above electron emitting substance layer 18 made of alumina can be formed by, for example, mixing butyl acetate with fine-grain alumina and cotton bromide to make suspension, applying the suspension around the electrodes on the inner surface of the bulb 10, and baking it to form ceramic.
  • an alumina film can be formed by applying organic compound aluminum solution (e.g. alkoxide aluminum solution) to the inner surface of the bulb 10 and drying it before baking to form it as an alumina film.
  • organic compound aluminum solution e.g. alkoxide aluminum solution
  • the above electron emitting substance layer 18 is directly exposed to the discharge space 11, that is, it is not covered with the phosphor film 15.
  • the phosphor film 15 formed in the inner surface of the bulb 10 is not extended up to the portion close to the electrode 20 but the electron emitting substance layer 18 is formed at the portion free from the phosphor film.
  • the above cold cathode xenon discharge lamp is turned on at the high frequency of 50 KHz through a high-frequency transistor inverter (not illustrated).
  • the cold cathode xenon discharge lamp having the above configuration is easily started in the dark and the starting duration is greatly decreased.
  • the electron emitting substance layer 18 formed on the inner surface of the bulb 10 or the alumina film always emits electrons by receiving thermal energy from peripheral atmosphere without being provided with a high electric field even in the dark at the ordinary temperature.
  • the cold cathode xenon discharge lamp is quickly turned on in a space interrupted from cosmic rays in the dark.
  • the electron emitting substance layer 18 is not covered with the phosphor film 15, the electrons are emitted to the discharge space at a high probability and discharge breakdown is prompted. That is, because the electron is a low-speed electron, the probability for the electrons to be emitted to the discharge space decreases because it is absorbed by the phosphor film 15 when the electron emitting substance layer 18 is covered with the phosphor film 15 and lighting may be delayed though it is not so late as the prior art.
  • the insulating property of the phosphor film 15 depends on the grain size, grain size distribution, and relative contact electrification amount of the phosphor composing the film. Therefore, when the electron emitting substance layer 18 is covered with the phosphor film 15, the number of electrons to be emitted from the electron emitting substance layer 18 depends on the type of the phosphor used.
  • the electron emitting substance layer 18 is formed so that it will be exposed to the discharge space without covering it with the phosphor film 15, the number of electrons to be emitted to the discharge space increases and the probability to cause discharge breakdown increases.
  • the illuminance distribution is not greatly affected because the area free from the phosphor film 15 is close to the electrode even if the phosphor film 15 is not formed at the portion.
  • the electron emitting substance layer 18 is formed so that it will face the electrode 20 installed at the both ends of the bulb 10 respectively.
  • the electron emitting substance layer 18 has a structure independent of the phosphor film 15.
  • the electron emitting substance layer 18 can be installed only on one of the electrodes 20.
  • the electron emitting substance layer 18 is formed so that it will be exposed inside the bulb 10.
  • the electron emitting substance layer 18 is formed so that it will have the dimension approximately same the phosphor film 15.
  • FIG. 1 shows the case in which an internal electrodes are sealed in the both ends of the bulb 10 respectively.
  • Fig. 5 shows this embodiment.
  • This fourth embodiment uses a bulb 10 with the overall length of 70 mm, the outside diameter of 2.5 mm, and the inside diameter of 1.4 mm, in which a cold cathode 20 consisting of a nickel cylinder with the overall length of 2.5 mm and the outside diameter of 0.7 mm is installed on one end of the bulb and an external electrode 30 extending in the bulb axis direction in the form of a belt is installed on the outer surface of the bulb 10.
  • the electron emitting substance layer 18 is formed as a ring on the inner surface of the bulb 10 close to the internal electrode 20.
  • the phosphor film 15 formed on the inner surface of the bulb 10 is made of lanthanum phosphate, which emits umber light. Discharge gas consisting of 100% xenon gas is sealed in the bulb 10 at the pressure of 100 Torr.
  • the lamp having the above configuration is suitable for meter pointers.
  • the above cold cathode xenon discharge lamp starts within a very short time even in the dark because the electron emitting substance layer 18 not covered with the phosphor film 15 is formed in the inner surface of the bulb 10 so that it will face the cold cathode 20.
  • the electron emitting substance layer 18 is formed closely to the internal electrode 20. However, as shown in Fig. 6, it is possible to form the electron emitting substance layer 18 separately from the internal electrode. For this embodiment, though the electron emitting substance layer 18 is formed on the surface of the phosphor film 15, it is also possible to form it directly on the end of the bulb 10.
  • the electron emitting substance layer 18 is formed under the phosphor film 15 or between the phosphor film 15 and the inner surface of the bulb 10.
  • the electron emitting substance layer 18 is formed so that it will have the dimension approximately same as the phosphor film 15, it can also be formed only at a portion close to at least one electrode.
  • the electron emitting substance layer 18 can be covered with a metallic thin layer 40.
  • the structure of the metallic layer 40 is not restricted to that shown in Fig. 8. Any type of structure can be applied as long as the electron emitting substance layer 18 is exposed.
  • the electron emitting substance layer 18 is installed on the bulb 10 side, that is, it is secured to the bulb.
  • the bulb 10 can be installed on the electrode side. This embodiment is shown below.
  • the cold cathode discharge lamp shown in Fig. 9 is the same as that shown in Fig. 3 except the fact that the electron emitting substance layer 18 is formed on the electrode 20. Therefore, description is made for the electrode 20.
  • the electrode body 21 of the electrode 20 is filled with an electron emitting substance 23 made of lanthanum boride LaB6 together with nickel. That is, the electrode body 21 is made by filling it with mixture of nickel powder and LaB6 power of 10 to 20 capacity percent and cold-forming and swagging it before heat-treating it to melt the nickel powder and deposit LaB6.
  • the electron emitting substance 23 made of LaB6 is held by the electrode body 21.
  • the electron emitting substance 23 emits electrons by the stimulus energy equal to or more than the work function, which is used to induce discharge when the starting voltage is applied and different from the substance forming the electron emitting substance layer 18.
  • a layer 18 made of an electron emitting substance (e.g. ⁇ -alumina) is formed on the outer surface of the electrode 20.
  • the electron emitting substance layer 18 made of the alumina can be formed by, for example, mixing butyl acetate with fine-grain alumina and cotton bromide to make suspension, applying the suspension to the outer surface of the electrode 20, and baking it to form ceramic.
  • an alumina film can be formed by applying organic compound aluminum solution (e.g. alkoxide aluminum solution) to the inner surface of the bulb 10 and drying it before baking to form it as an alumina film.
  • organic compound aluminum solution e.g. alkoxide aluminum solution
  • the cold cathode xenon discharge lamp with the above configuration like the above embodiment, easily starts in the dark and the starting duration can greatly be decreased.
  • the electron emitted from the electron emitting substance layer 18 formed on the outer surface of the electrode 20 triggers discharge and the cold cathode xenon discharge lamp is quickly turned on in a dark space interrupted from cosmic rays.
  • the electron emitting substance layer 18 is installed on the electrode 20, the electrons emitted from the electron emitting substance layer 18 securely reach the discharge space and effectively work for discharge breakdown without being absorbed in the tube wall and, thus, many electrons contribute to start of discharge. Therefore, stable startup is possible.
  • the electron emitting substance layer 18 is applied to the outer surface of the electrode body 21 of the electrode 20.
  • the electron emitting substance 18 instead of the electron emitting substance 23 to emit electrons with the stimulus energy equal to or more than the work function.
  • either electrode can be an external electrode similarly to the embodiment shown in Fig. 5.
  • the layer 18 is formed in the bulb 10 by the electron emitting substance.
  • the electron emitting substance may be formed in the bulb 10 by any means.
  • the phosphor electron emitting substance layer 50 made of mixture of phosphor and electron emitting substance on the inner surface of the bulb 10.
  • the mixture layer 50 serves as a phosphor film and electron emitting substance layer.
  • the idea of the present invention can also be applied to the discharge lamp with electrodes installed outside as shown in Fig. 15.
  • a pair of stripped external electrodes 30 are installed on the outer surface of the bulb 10 so that they will face each other.
  • the following three ideas are embodied: the idea to install the layer made by electron emitting substance at the bulb side, the idea to install it at the electrode side, and the idea to mix the electron emitting substance in the phosphor film.
  • Fig. 16 shows the result of measuring the delay of the discharge starting time of typical embodiments among the above embodiments and that of a sample according to the prior art using no electron emitting substance.
  • the abscissa shows the discharge start delay time (Sec) and the ordinate shows the cumulative discharge starting rate.
  • the following five types of samples are used: 100 samples 1 made by forming the electron emitting substance layer ( ⁇ -alumina layer) 18 closely to electrodes as shown in Fig. 1, 100 samples 2 made by filling the electron emitting substance 18 in the electrode as shown in Fig. 11, 100 samples 3 made by mixing electron emitting substance ( ⁇ -alumina) with phosphor as shown in Fig.
  • the phosphor film of every sample is formed by yttrium oxide.
  • These manufactured samples are aged for a certain time. Then they are left in a bright place (1,000l x) for 12 hr and a dark place (0l x) for 12 hr. This operation is repeated seven times, so that they are left as they are for 168 hr then, the 1.2 kV sinusoidal wave (35 KHz) is applied to them in a dark place of 25°C. In this case, the time until the lamp current flows is measured.
  • the sample 1 is the most preferable because it has the shortest discharge start delay time.
  • the samples 2 through 4 are preferable compared with the sample 5 according to the prior art.
  • the profile of the above bulb can be circular, elliptic, or flat oval and the bulb shape can be not only straight but U-type.
  • the present invention is applied to the lamp with a cold cathode inside the bulb.
  • the cold cathode lamp has an inferior starting characteristic in the dark because it does not have the structure in which the cold cathode emits thermoelectrons at start.
  • xenon is sealed in the bulb, that is, for a cold cathode xenon discharge lamp, ionization hardly occurs, the starting voltage rises, and it takes time for startup because the ionization characteristic of xenon is inferior.
  • the present invention is effective for the above cold cathode xenon discharge lamp.

Landscapes

  • Discharge Lamp (AREA)
  • Discharge Lamps And Accessories Thereof (AREA)
  • Surface Treatment Of Glass (AREA)
  • Vessels And Coating Films For Discharge Lamps (AREA)
EP19910111508 1990-07-12 1991-07-10 Entladungslampe mit Kaltkathode Expired - Lifetime EP0466138B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP02182823A JP3080318B2 (ja) 1990-07-12 1990-07-12 けい光ランプおよびこれを用いた照明装置ならびに液晶表示装置
JP182823/90 1990-07-12

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0466138A1 true EP0466138A1 (de) 1992-01-15
EP0466138B1 EP0466138B1 (de) 1995-11-29

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19910111508 Expired - Lifetime EP0466138B1 (de) 1990-07-12 1991-07-10 Entladungslampe mit Kaltkathode

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0466138B1 (de)
JP (1) JP3080318B2 (de)
DE (1) DE69114929T2 (de)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0638918A1 (de) * 1993-08-12 1995-02-15 Science Applications International Corporation Gasentladungs-Vorrichtung mit einem Netzwerk von Feldeffekt-Emittern mit mikroskopischen Emissionselementen
EP1259099A2 (de) * 2001-05-18 2002-11-20 Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft für elektrische Glühlampen mbH Glimmzünder
WO2003052791A1 (en) * 2001-12-19 2003-06-26 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Cold cathode fluorescent lamp
WO2007064570A2 (en) * 2005-11-28 2007-06-07 General Electric Company Barium-free electrode materials for electric lamps and methods of manufacture thereof

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7434957B2 (en) * 2003-12-30 2008-10-14 Lg Display Co., Ltd. Backlight unit
JP5484833B2 (ja) * 2008-08-29 2014-05-07 宇部マテリアルズ株式会社 蛍光体粉末組成物

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4887002A (en) * 1986-12-01 1989-12-12 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Gas discharge lamp and apparatus utilizing the same
EP0348979A2 (de) * 1988-06-30 1990-01-03 Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation Leuchtstofflampe
US4914723A (en) * 1983-03-08 1990-04-03 Thorn Emi Plc Fluorescent lamp discharge tube having electrostatically coated envelope

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4914723A (en) * 1983-03-08 1990-04-03 Thorn Emi Plc Fluorescent lamp discharge tube having electrostatically coated envelope
US4887002A (en) * 1986-12-01 1989-12-12 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Gas discharge lamp and apparatus utilizing the same
EP0348979A2 (de) * 1988-06-30 1990-01-03 Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation Leuchtstofflampe

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0638918A1 (de) * 1993-08-12 1995-02-15 Science Applications International Corporation Gasentladungs-Vorrichtung mit einem Netzwerk von Feldeffekt-Emittern mit mikroskopischen Emissionselementen
US5495143A (en) * 1993-08-12 1996-02-27 Science Applications International Corporation Gas discharge device having a field emitter array with microscopic emitter elements
EP1259099A2 (de) * 2001-05-18 2002-11-20 Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft für elektrische Glühlampen mbH Glimmzünder
EP1259099A3 (de) * 2001-05-18 2005-05-11 Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft für elektrische Glühlampen mbH Glimmzünder
WO2003052791A1 (en) * 2001-12-19 2003-06-26 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Cold cathode fluorescent lamp
US6905224B2 (en) 2001-12-19 2005-06-14 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Container having clip type power-supply unit for lamp
US7607791B2 (en) 2001-12-19 2009-10-27 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Liquid crystal display device including a cold cathode fluorescent lamp and a container for receiving the same
US8007123B2 (en) 2001-12-19 2011-08-30 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Blacklight with power supply clips and liquid crystal display device including such backlight
WO2007064570A2 (en) * 2005-11-28 2007-06-07 General Electric Company Barium-free electrode materials for electric lamps and methods of manufacture thereof
WO2007064570A3 (en) * 2005-11-28 2008-07-03 Gen Electric Barium-free electrode materials for electric lamps and methods of manufacture thereof
CN101336464B (zh) * 2005-11-28 2012-07-04 通用电气公司 用于电灯的无钡电极材料及其制造方法

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69114929T2 (de) 1996-07-25
JP3080318B2 (ja) 2000-08-28
JPH0471155A (ja) 1992-03-05
EP0466138B1 (de) 1995-11-29
DE69114929D1 (de) 1996-01-11

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