The Voltage Drop Through Phosphor Screens and Its Bearing on Performance of Cathodoluminescent Lamps

Measurements have been made of the voltage drop when an electron beam passes through a fluorescent screen. This varies from a few volts to several hundred volts depending on the nature of the phosphor. By choosing phosphors with high conductivity, the maj or part of the voltage drop across an electron tube is made available for excitation of the phosphor. This principle is applied to the construction of 120 ‐volt cathodoluminescent lamps.