Noble Gas - Discharge Color

Discharge Color

Colors and spectra (bottom row) of electric discharge in noble gases; only the second row represents pure gases.
Helium Neon Argon
 Krypton Xenon

The color of gas discharge emission depends on several factors, including the following:

  • discharge parameters (local value of current density and electric field, temperature, etc. – note the color variation along the discharge in the top row);
  • gas purity (even small fraction of certain gases can affect color);
  • material of the discharge tube envelope – note suppression of the UV and blue components in the bottom-row tubes made of thick household glass.

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