Glow discharge

Patent Pending A glow discharge is a plasma formed by the passage of electric current through a low-pressure gas. It is created by applying a voltage between two metal electrodes in a glass tube containing gas. When the voltage exceeds a certain value called the striking voltage, the gas in the tube ionizes, becoming a plasma, and begins conducting electricity, causing it to glow with a colored light. The color depends on the gas used. Glow discharge is widely used as a source of light in devices such as neon lights, fluorescent lamps, and plasma-screen televisions.