Hollow cathode effect
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The hollow cathode effect allows electrical conduction at a lower voltage or with more current in a cold-cathode gas-discharge lamp when the cathode is a conductive tube open at one end than a similar lamp with a flat cathode.[1] The hollow cathode effect was recognized by Friedrich Paschen in 1916.[2]
In a hollow cathode, the electron emitting surface is in the inside of the tube. Several processes contribute to enhanced performance of a hollow cathode:
- The pendulum effect, where an electron oscillates back and forth in the tube, creating secondary electrons along the way
- The photoionization effect, where photons emitted in the tube cause further ionization
- Stepwise ionization[1]
- Sputtering[3][4]
The hollow cathode effect is utilized in the electrodes for neon signs, in hollow-cathode lamps, and more.
References
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