| abstract |
A cold-cathode discharge device for emitting light. The device has a fluorescent tube and electrodes containing R 2 O 3-z (where R is an atom or an atom group of rare earth elements, O is oxygen, and z is 0.0 to 1.0). The electrodes are made by oxidation of the rare earth elements under an atmosphere in which oxygen and/or oxygen-containing substance is 1% or less by volume, in order to control the stoichiometry of the oxide. |