A study of the cathode emission and the discharge parameters of luminescent tubes

A method of continuously monitoring the emission of thermionic cathodes working under mercury-vapor discharge conditions, as well as a basis from which to estimate the parameters of the ion current which falls on the cathode of a discharge tube is described. The method proposed was tested on models of luminescent tubes working on direct current. It is shown that it is possible for a mercury-vapor type discharge to change to a glow discharge due to poisoning of the cathode by ion bombardment.