Device for operating a dielectric barrier discharge lamp

Abstract

A device for operating a dielectric barrier discharge lamp in which not only the efficiency is maintained, but in which a reduction of the irradiance over the course of use is advantageously prevented. The device includes a dielectric barrier discharge lamp and a feed device for applying a high voltage to this dielectric barrier discharge lamp, wherein the feed device via a set-up transformer applies a high voltage with an essentially periodic waveform to the barrier discharge lamp. Moreover, the applied high voltage first produces a steep rising waveform and then ringing, wherein the ratio of the difference between a second extreme value point and a third extreme value point to the difference between a first extreme value point and the second extreme value point of the ringing is less than or equal to 30%. It is a further object of an embodiment of the present invention to reduce or eliminate the ringing.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.