A gas discharge device includes a thin glass tube filled with a discharge gas; a pair of first and second long electrodes extending toward either side along a longitudinal direction with a discharge gap interposed therebetween are provided outside of a back side flat surface of a thin glass tube; and a ultraviolet phosphor layer formed on an inner surface at the back side flat surface, the thin glass tube filled with a discharge gas having a front side flat surface and the back side flat surface facing each other on a transverse section, wherein, starting with trigger discharge that is initially generated in the discharge gap as a result of a voltage increase when a voltage with a sine waveform or an inclined waveform is applied between both electrodes, the discharge gradually extends so as to move in the longitudinal direction of the electrodes. Ultraviolet light having high luminous efficiency and emission intensity is obtained from a front side surface of the thin glass tube by driving the device with a sine-wave AC voltage.

A gas discharge device includes a thin glass tube filled with a discharge gas; a pair of first and second long electrodes extending toward either side along a longitudinal direction with a discharge gap interposed therebetween are provided outside of a back side flat surface of a thin glass tube; and a ultraviolet phosphor layer formed on an inner surface at the back side flat surface, the thin glass tube filled with a discharge gas having a front side flat surface and the back side flat surface facing each other on a transverse section, wherein, starting with trigger discharge that is initially generated in the discharge gap as a result of a voltage increase when a voltage with a sine waveform or an inclined waveform is applied between both electrodes, the discharge gradually extends so as to move in the longitudinal direction of the electrodes. Ultraviolet light having high luminous efficiency and emission intensity is obtained from a front side surface of the thin glass tube by driving the device with a sine-wave AC voltage.

The object of this invention is to provide a gas discharge device which has a simple configuration, inexpensive, and has excellent luminous efficiency, for an ultraviolet or visible light source.

The invention provides a gas discharge device in which first and second long electrodes extending toward either side along a longitudinal direction with a discharge gap interposed therebetween are provided outside of a back side flat surface of a thin glass tube, the thin glass tube filled with a discharge gas having a front side flat surface and the back side flat surface facing each other on a transverse section, wherein, starting with trigger discharge that is initially generated in the discharge gap as a result of a voltage increase when a voltage with a sine waveform or an inclined waveform is applied between both electrodes, the discharge gradually extends so as to move in the longitudinal direction of the electrodes. Ultraviolet light having high luminous efficiency and emission intensity is obtained from the flat surface at the front surface side by forming an ultraviolet phosphor layer in the thin glass tube and driving the device with a sine-wave voltage.

The object of this invention is to provide a gas discharge device which has a simple configuration, inexpensive, and has excellent luminous efficiency, for an ultraviolet or visible light source.

The invention provides a gas discharge device in which first and second long electrodes extending toward either side along a longitudinal direction with a discharge gap interposed therebetween are provided outside of a back side flat surface of a thin glass tube, the thin glass tube filled with a discharge gas having a front side flat surface and the back side flat surface facing each other on a transverse section, wherein, starting with trigger discharge that is initially generated in the discharge gap as a result of a voltage increase when a voltage with a sine waveform or an inclined waveform is applied between both electrodes, the discharge gradually extends so as to move in the longitudinal direction of the electrodes. Ultraviolet light having high luminous efficiency and emission intensity is obtained from the flat surface at the front surface side by forming an ultraviolet phosphor layer in the thin glass tube and driving the device with a sine-wave voltage.

A gas reactor device includes a plurality of microcavities or microchannels defined at least partially within a thick metal oxide layer consisting essentially of defect free oxide. Electrodes are arranged with respect to the microcavities or microchannels to stimulate plasma generation therein upon application of suitable voltage. One or more or all of the electrodes are encapsulated within the thick metal oxide layer. A gas inlet is configured to receive feedstock gas into the plurality of microcavities or microchannels. An outlet is configured to outlet reactor product from the plurality of microcavities or microchannels. In an example preferred device, the feedstock gas is air or O.sub.2 and is converted by the plasma into ozone (O.sub.3). In another preferred device, the feedstock gas is an unwanted gas to be decomposed into a desired form. Gas reactor devices of the invention can, for example, decompose gases such as CO.sub.2, CH.sub.4, or NO.sub.x.

A gas reactor device includes a plurality of microcavities or microchannels defined at least partially within a thick metal oxide layer consisting essentially of defect free oxide. Electrodes are arranged with respect to the microcavities or microchannels to stimulate plasma generation therein upon application of suitable voltage. One or more or all of the electrodes are encapsulated within the thick metal oxide layer. A gas inlet is configured to receive feedstock gas into the plurality of microcavities or microchannels. An outlet is configured to outlet reactor product from the plurality of microcavities or microchannels. In an example preferred device, the feedstock gas is air or O.sub.2 and is converted by the plasma into ozone (O.sub.3). In another preferred device, the feedstock gas is an unwanted gas to be decomposed into a desired form. Gas reactor devices of the invention can, for example, decompose gases such as CO.sub.2, CH.sub.4, or NO.sub.x.