From: pcdhSpamMeSenseless@electrooptical.net   
      
   On 1/25/2014 6:37 AM, haiticare2011@gmail.com wrote:   
   > You mentioned fatigue in flash lamps as optical sources. Several   
   > points: Put some Cl2 or Br in Xenon to quench excited states. It   
   > works for Geiger counters. Second, wrap the trigger wire many turns   
   > around the flash tube. This magnetic bottle may penetrate better,   
   > even out space charge in glass, and confine electrons better in   
   > Geiger mode.   
   >   
   > I realize you don't have time for open-ended research, but the   
   > problem of quieting Xenon flash tubes seems very analogous to the   
   > Geiger Mueller problem.   
      
   Flashtubes run at low energy mostly die from cathode sputtering, which   
   darkens the envelope and eventually makes them not fire.   
      
   At higher energy it's mostly erosion of the quartz envelope, leading to   
   redeposition elsewhere, which also interferes with firing.  Eventually   
   the envelope gets perforated and the bulb goes to pieces.   
      
   The pulse to pulse noise is due to the stochastic character of arc   
   initiation.  To spread the wear, the cathodes are designed so that the   
   arc can move around, and that causes pulse to pulse energy variation of   
   0.1% (for a brand new lamp with lots of TLC from the manufacturer) to 1%   
   (more like real life).  That's a miserable way to try making good   
   measurements.   
      
   >   
   > Say, which newsreader you like? JB   
      
   I mostly use Thunderbird, but that's because it's the devil I know.   
   Other folks like Agent or Opera or even tin.  You can get a free Usenet   
   account from eternal-september.org, which works pretty well.   
      
   Cheers   
      
   Phil Hobbs   
      
      
   --   
   Dr Philip C D Hobbs   
   Principal Consultant   
   ElectroOptical Innovations LLC   
   Optics, Electro-optics, Photonics, Analog Electronics   
      
   160 North State Road #203   
   Briarcliff Manor NY 10510   
      
   hobbs at electrooptical dot net   
   http://electrooptical.net   
      
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    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)