What are the applications of a discharge tube?
There are LOTS of uses. Some of these include: Lighting (various kinds of fluorescent lamps and neon (and other gas) tube lighting Gas discharge lighting, such as sodium and mercury vapor arc lighting. Sterilization and germicidal UV sources (typically mercury vapor lamps with quartz envelopes) High intensity point source light sources, such as xenon and krypton arc lights, projection lamps, and high-performance auto arc lighting. Flash lamps for stroboscopes, high-intensity warning lamps, and flash tubes to excite some types of solid-state lasers. High energy switching functions such as lightning arresters, over-voltage protectors, and two and three-terminal spark gaps Fast, high-current switching as in thyratrons, krytrons, and ignitrons. Radiation detectors for nuclear particles, X-rays, and gamma rays (Geiger tubes, ionization chambers). Spectrum tubes for generating specific EM radiation line(s) Some types of gas lasers that use electrical discharge excitation (CO2, nitrogen, argon, helium-neon, and other gas mixtures).