Electromechanical transduction of plasma pulses

A direct current power transducer comprising a cold cathode vacuum discharge tube having an anode and a cathode and capable of autoelectronic emissions under abnormal glow discharge conditions, which emissions have an extinction potential substantially higher than the sustaining potential of a vacuum arc discharge in the same tube, and an external circuit including a direct current source connected between the anode and the cathode, the external circuit being capable of developing a potential sufficient to initiate said autoelectronic emissions, and an impedance sufficient that, as the autoelectronic emissions are established, potential between the anode and the cathode collapses below said extinction potential before a vacuum arc is established, thus setting up an endogenous cyclical pulsed abnormal glow discharge, wherein the external circuit includes a reactive arm in parallel with the discharge tube and presenting a capacitance across the tube, said reactive arm further including an electromagnetic device providing an energy output and dependent on the application of cyclical power pulses for its operation.