Cold cathode
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A cold cathode is a cathode that is not electrically heated by a filament. A cathode may be considered "cold" if it emits more electrons than can be supplied by thermionic emission alone. It is used i
A set of cold cathode discharge tubes
The stacked digit arrangement in a Nixie tube is visible here.
A standard computer case fitted with blue and green cold-cathode tubes
Cold-cathode fluorescent lamp backlight
Fluorescent lamp
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A fluorescent lamp, or fluorescent tube, is a low-pressure mercury-vapor gas-discharge lamp that uses fluorescence to produce visible light. An electric current in the gas excites mercury vapor, to pr
Cold cathode
…produce an intense short pulse of light for photography or to act as a stroboscope to examine the motion of moving parts. Cold-cathode lamps include cold-cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) and neon lamps. Neon lamps primarily rely on excitation of gas molecules to emit light; CCFLs use a discharge in mercury vapor to develop…
Linear fluorescent lamps illuminating a pedestrian tunnel
Top: two non-integrated compact fluorescent lamps. Bottom: two fluorescent tube lamps. Both types require a ballast in the light fixture. A matchstick, left, is shown for scale.
Typical F71T12 100 W G13 bi-pin lamp used in tanning beds. The (Hg) symbol indicates that this lamp contains mercury. In the US, this symbol is now required on all mercury-containing fluorescent lamps.
A "tombstone" style lamp-holder for T12 and T8 G13 bi-pin fluorescent lamps