Patent ID: 7652430

Claim:
A broadband light source, comprising: an enclosure having one or more walls, at least one of which is at least partly transparent; a gas mixture contained within the enclosure, the gas mixture including hydrogen and/or deuterium, wherein a total pressure of the gas mixture is between about 1 atmospheres and about 15 atmospheres and wherein a partial pressure of hydrogen and/or deuterium in the gas mixture is between about 1 percent and about 10 percent of the total pressure; and a plasma discharge mechanism configured to maintain a plasma discharge of the gas mixture, wherein the plasma discharge takes place within the enclosure wherein the plasma discharge mechanism includes an anode spaced apart from a cathode, wherein the anode and cathode are disposed within the enclosure, wherein the cathode includes a cone-shaped portion made of a combination of BaO, CaO, and Al 2 O 3 in a 4:1:1 ratio.