Scanning back illuminating light source for liquid crystal and other displays

A backlight source for use with a light valve display, comprising:

• an array of substantially parallel elongated gas-discharge chambers each having an end, and defining therein a transverse chamber, wherein the end of each chamber is connected to and communicates with the ends of the other chambers through the transverse chamber;
• a gas in the chambers;
• an electrode in each chamber spaced apart from the end of such chamber;
• and
• means for applying electrical potentials to the electrodes in sets of chambers during a plurality of consecutive time intervals in a sequential scanning operation so that ionized particles generated during at least one time interval accelerates gas discharge during a subsequent time interval, causing different sets of chambers to emit light successively for displaying images.

A method for providing backlight for a light valve display using a backlight source, said source comprising:

• (a) a plate defining therein an array of substantially parallel elongated gas-discharge chambers each having an end, and defining therein a transverse chamber, wherein the end of each chamber is connected to the ends of the other chambers through the transverse chamber, said chambers containing a gas;
• (b) an electrode in each chamber spaced apart from the end of such chamber;
• said method comprising the steps of:
• applying electrical potentials to the electrodes in sets of chambers during a plurality of consecutive time intervals in a sequential scanning operation, wherein the application of potentials to a set of chambers by said applying step defines scanning of the chambers in such set, each set of chambers including at least two chambers, said potentials being applied to electrodes in a set of a plurality of chambers during each time interval, each potential applied across the electrodes in two chambers in a set to cause gas discharge in the two chambers and in a portion of the transverse chamber connecting the two chambers so as to cause light emission from the two chambers, said applying step being such that during at least two consecutive time intervals, the two sets of chambers to which electrical potentials are applied overlap by at least one chamber, so that ionized particles generated during the earlier of the two consecutive intervals in the at least one overlapping chamber accelerates gas discharge during the later of the two consecutive time intervals.