Helium-xenon gas mixture for gas discharge device

Claim 2

In a process for operating a multiple gas discharge display device comprising a multiplicity of gas discharge cells and an ionizable gaseous medium, the improvement which comprises utilizing the combination of at least one phosphor and an ionizable gaseous medium capable upon discharge of emitting radiation exciting the phosphor and consisting essentially of about 0.1 to 5 percent atoms of xenon and about 99.9 to 95 percent atoms of a helium-based composition, said helium-based composition consisting essentially of about 95 to 100 percent atoms of helium and about 5 to 0 percent atoms of another gaseous component selected from neon, krypton, nitrogen, argon and mercury, and applying an operating voltage to at least one of said gas discharge cells to stimulate said phosphor in the device without a pronounced visible discharge emission to distort phosphor colors.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 wherein the device is of the display/memory type and contains at least one dielectrically insulated electrode.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 1 wherein the gaseous medium is at a pressure of about 100 Torr to 700 Torr.

Claim 5

In an article of manufacture comprising a multiple gas discharge phosphor display device containing an ionizable gaseous medium, the improvement wherein the gaseous medium consists essentially of about 0.1 to 5 percent atoms of xenon and 99.9 to 95 percent atoms of a helium-based composition, said helium-based composition consisting essentially of about 95 to 100 percent atoms of helium and about 5 to 0 percent atoms of another gaseous component selected from neon, krypton, nitrogen, argon and mercury.

Claim 6

In an article of manufacture comprising a multiple gas discharge phosphor display device containing an ionizable gaseous medium, the improvement wherein the gaseous medium consists essentially of about 0.1 to 5 percent atoms of xenon and 99.9 to 95 percent atoms of a helium-based composition, said helium-based composition consisting essentially of about 95 to 100 percent atoms of helium and about 5 to 0 percent atoms of another gaseous component selected from neon, krypton, nitrogen, argon and mercury.

Claim 7

The invention of claim 4 wherein the device is of the display/memory type and contains at least one dielectrically insulated electrode.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 4 wherein the gaseous medium is at a pressure of about 100 Torr to 700 Torr.

Claim 9

As a composition of matter, an ionizable gaseous mixture for a gas discharge display phosphor device, said mixture consisting essentially of about 0.1 to 5 percent atoms of xenon and about 99.9 to 95 percent atoms of a helium-based composition, said helium-based composition consisting essentially of about 95 to 100 percent atoms of helium and about 5 to 0 percent atoms of another gaseous component selected from neon, krypton, nitrogen, argon and mercury.

Claim 10

As a composition of matter, an ionizable gaseous mixture for a gas discharge display phosphor device, said mixture consisting essentially of about 0.1 to 5 percent atoms of xenon and about 99.9 to 95 percent atoms of a helium-based composition, said helium-based composition consisting essentially of about 95 to 100 percent atoms of helium and about 5 to 0 percent atoms of another gaseous component selected from neon, krypton, nitrogen, argon and mercury.

Claim 11

The invention of claim 7 wherein the gaseous mixture is at a pressure of about 100 to 700 Torr.

Claim 12

In the operation of a gaseous discharge display/memory device characterized by an ionizable gaseous medium in a gas chamber formed by a pair of dielectric material members having opposed charge storage surfaces, which dielectric material members are respectively backed by a series of parallel electrode members, the electrode members behind each dielectric material member being transversely oriented with respect to the electrode members behind the opposing dielectric material member so as to define a plurality of discrete discharge volumes, each constituting a discharge unit, and wherein the gas is selectively ionized and discharged within each discharge unit by operating voltages applied to the transversely oriented electrode members, the improvement which comprises utilizing the combination of a phosphor on at least one of saiD dielectric material members at each discharge unit and an ionizable gaseous medium capable upon discharge of emitting radiation exciting said phosphor and consisting essentially of about 0.1 to 5 percent atoms of xenon and about 99.9 to 95 percent atoms of helium-based composition, said helium-based composition consisting essentially of about 95 to 100 percent atoms of helium and about 5 to 0 percent atoms of another gaseous component selected from neon, krypton, nitrogen, argon and mercury, and applying an operating voltage to at least one of said gas discharge cells to stimulate the respective phosphor in the device without a pronounced visible discharge emission to distort phosphor colors.

Claim 13

In the operation of a gaseous discharge display/memory device characterized by an ionizable gaseous medium in a gas chamber formed by a pair of dielectric material members having opposed charge storage surfaces, which dielectric material members are respectively backed by a series of parallel electrode members, the electrode members behind each dielectric material member being transversely oriented with respect to the electrode members behind the opposing dielectric material member so as to define a plurality of discrete discharge volumes, each constituting a discharge unit, and wherein the gas is selectively ionized and discharged within each discharge unit by operating voltages applied to the transversely oriented electrode members, the improvement which comprises utilizing the combination of a phosphor on at least one of saiD dielectric material members at each discharge unit and an ionizable gaseous medium capable upon discharge of emitting radiation exciting said phosphor and consisting essentially of about 0.1 to 5 percent atoms of xenon and about 99.9 to 95 percent atoms of helium-based composition, said helium-based composition consisting essentially of about 95 to 100 percent atoms of helium and about 5 to 0 percent atoms of another gaseous component selected from neon, krypton, nitrogen, argon and mercury, and applying an operating voltage to at least one of said gas discharge cells to stimulate the respective phosphor in the device without a pronounced visible discharge emission to distort phosphor colors.

Claim 14

The invention of claim 9 wherein the gaseous mixture is at a pressure of about 100 to 700 Torr.

Claim 15

IN A GASEOUS DISCHARGE DISPLAY/MEMORY DEVICE COMPRISING AN IONIZABLE GASEOUS MEDIUM IN A GAS CHAMBER FORMED BY A PAIR OF OPPOSED DIELECTRIC MATERIAL BODIES HAVING CHARGE STORAGE SURFACES IN CONTACT WITH SAID IONIZABLE GASEOUS MEDIUM, SAID CHARGE STORAGE SURFACES BEING BACKED BY ELECTRODE MEMBERS, THE ELECTRODE MEMBERS BEHIND EACH CHARGE STORAGE SURFACE BEING TRANSVERSELY ORIENTED WITH RESPECT TO THE ELECTRODE MEMBERS BEHIND THE OPPOSING CHARGE STORAGE SURFACE SO AS TO PROVIDE A PLURALITY OF ELECTRODE INTERSECTIONS, EACH DEFINING A DISCHARGE UNIT, THE IMPROVEMENT CONSISTING OF THE COMBINATION OF PHOSPHOR MEANS ON AT LEAST ONE OF SAID DIELECTRIC MATERIAL MEMBERS AT EACH DISCHARGE UNIT AND AN IONIZABLE GASEOUS MEDIUM CAPABLE ON DISCHARGE OF EMITTING RADIATION EXCITING SAID PHOSPHOR SAID CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF ABOUT 0.1 TO 5 PERCENT ATOMS OF XENON AND ABOUT 99.9 TO 95 PERCENT ATOMS OF HELIUM BASED COMPOSITION, SAID HELIUM-BASED COMPOSITION CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF ABOUT 95 TO 100 PERCENT ATOMS OF HELIUM AND ABOUT 5 TO 0 PERCENT ATOMS OF ANOTHER GASEOUS COMPONENT SELECTED FROM NEON, KRYPTON, NITROGEN, ARGON AND MERCURY, WHEREBY UPON DISCHARGE OF AT LEAST ONE OF SAID DISCHARGE CELLS TO STIMULATE THE RESPECTIVE PHOSPHOR IN THE DEVICE THERE IS NO PRONOUNCED VISIBLE DISCHARGE EMISSION TO DISTORT PHOSPHOR COLORS.

Claim 16

IN A GASEOUS DISCHARGE DISPLAY/MEMORY DEVICE COMPRISING AN IONIZABLE GASEOUS MEDIUM IN A GAS CHAMBER FORMED BY A PAIR OF OPPOSED DIELECTRIC MATERIAL BODIES HAVING CHARGE STORAGE SURFACES IN CONTACT WITH SAID IONIZABLE GASEOUS MEDIUM, SAID CHARGE STORAGE SURFACES BEING BACKED BY ELECTRODE MEMBERS, THE ELECTRODE MEMBERS BEHIND EACH CHARGE STORAGE SURFACE BEING TRANSVERSELY ORIENTED WITH RESPECT TO THE ELECTRODE MEMBERS BEHIND THE OPPOSING CHARGE STORAGE SURFACE SO AS TO PROVIDE A PLURALITY OF ELECTRODE INTERSECTIONS, EACH DEFINING A DISCHARGE UNIT, THE IMPROVEMENT CONSISTING OF THE COMBINATION OF PHOSPHOR MEANS ON AT LEAST ONE OF SAID DIELECTRIC MATERIAL MEMBERS AT EACH DISCHARGE UNIT AND AN IONIZABLE GASEOUS MEDIUM CAPABLE ON DISCHARGE OF EMITTING RADIATION EXCITING SAID PHOSPHOR SAID CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF ABOUT 0.1 TO 5 PERCENT ATOMS OF XENON AND ABOUT 99.9 TO 95 PERCENT ATOMS OF HELIUM BASED COMPOSITION, SAID HELIUM-BASED COMPOSITION CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF ABOUT 95 TO 100 PERCENT ATOMS OF HELIUM AND ABOUT 5 TO 0 PERCENT ATOMS OF ANOTHER GASEOUS COMPONENT SELECTED FROM NEON, KRYPTON, NITROGEN, ARGON AND MERCURY, WHEREBY UPON DISCHARGE OF AT LEAST ONE OF SAID DISCHARGE CELLS TO STIMULATE THE RESPECTIVE PHOSPHOR IN THE DEVICE THERE IS NO PRONOUNCED VISIBLE DISCHARGE EMISSION TO DISTORT PHOSPHOR COLORS.

Claim 17

The invention of claim 11 wherein the gaseous mixture is at a pressure of about 100 to 700 Torr.