Effect of glow-to-arc transition on loss mechanism of Ba atoms from electrode of fluorescent lamp

The loss of Ba atoms from the electrode of a fluorescent lamp was measured while the lamp was operated in the glow and arc discharge modes at 60 Hz. A laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) technique was applied to the measurements of the temporal and spatial distributions of Ba atoms in the vicinity of the electrode. Ground-state (6¹S₀) Ba atoms were excited to a 5¹P₁ level by a frequency-doubled dye laser beam (350.1 nm), and the subsequent fluorescence (5¹P₁-5 ¹D₂, 582.6nm) was detected. The temporal and spatial distributions of Ba atoms were found to be completely different in the two discharge modes. Temporally; in the arc discharge mode, the density of the Ba atoms was found to have two peaks, and the number of Ba atoms emitted in the anode half-cycle was about twofold larger than that emitted in the cathode half-cycle. In the glow discharge mode, the number of Ba atoms emitted in the anode half-cycle was found to be negligible compared with that emitted in the cathode half-cycle. Spatially; in the arc discharge mode, Ba atoms were found to be emitted mainly from the hot spot of the filament electrode. In the glow discharge mode, Ba atoms were found to be emitted from all parts of the filament electrodes homogeneously. The mechanism of Ba atom loss in both modes was discussed.