A low-voltage glow discharge tube

A new low work function surface, Au-Cs-O, is described which can be used as the cathode of a glow discharge tube. Using neon as the gas filling, a maintaining potential of 30¿35 V is obtained; with helium the potential is 22¿26 V. The variation of breakdown and maintaining potentials with gas pressure and electrode separation are shown for parallel-plate discharge gaps in neon, using this cathode surface. The gas similarity laws are not obeyed. Ways in which the current-maintaining voltage characteristics differ from those for conventional discharges are also discussed. Possible applications are considered, especially the use of the Au-Cs-O surface in a trigger tube or surge diverter.