Video detection of millimeter waves with glow discharge tubes: Part I—Physical description; part II—Experimental results

An experimental program was undertaken with the goal of realizing a fast, inexpensive millimeter wave glow discharge video detector. The work performed led to the realization of an economical commercial glow tube that, when biased properly, exhibits a sensitivity quite comparable to that of the crystal diode detector. As a result of this work, an anomalous mode plus a new mode of detection utilizing a sensing electrode external to the glow tube, with considerable improvement in NEP, were observed. In this paper, Part I describes the detection mechanism and physical characteristics of a glow discharge found to be important in the detection of millimeter waves and Part II the results of experiments concerning effects of biasing and gas type and pressure upon sensitivity.