Abstract :
The glow-switch1 is an automatic switch for starting fluorescent lamps.2 It is unique in that it is a thermal switch without a heater element, the heat being supplied by a glow discharge. The glow-switch functions as a time-delay relay yet it is a single-element switch with only two leads. At one value of applied voltage its resistance becomes a fraction of an ohm, while at a voltage only slightly lower, its resistance is measured in megohms. Before proceeding with the story of the development of the glow-switch, it is in order to discuss briefly the task which it performs.
