Editing Plasma globe (section)

{{Short description|Decorative electrical device}}
{{Distinguish|Plasma lamp}}
{{refimprove|date = January 2016}}
[[File:Plasma globe 60th.jpg|thumb|A plasma ball with filaments extending between the inner and outer spheres]]
A '''plasma ball''', '''plasma globe''', or '''plasma lamp''' is a clear glass container filled with [[noble gas]]es, usually a mixture of [[neon]], [[krypton]], and [[xenon]], that has a [[high-voltage]] [[electrode]] in the center of the container. When voltage is applied, a [[plasma (physics)|plasma]] is formed within the container. [[Plasma (physics)#Filamentation|Plasma filaments]] extend from the inner electrode to the outer glass insulator, giving the appearance of multiple constant beams of colored light. Plasma balls were popular as [[novelty item]]s in the 1980s.<ref name=Gache/>

The [[plasma lamp]] was invented by [[Nikola Tesla]], during his experimentation with high-frequency [[electric current|currents]] in an evacuated glass [[vacuum tube|tube]] for the purpose of studying [[high voltage]] phenomena.<ref name=pbs>{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/tesla/res/res_art05.html |title=Experiments with Alternate Currents of High Potential and High Frequency |first=Nikola |last=Tesla |website=[[PBS]] |year=1892 |access-date=July 26, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100302125234/http://www.pbs.org/tesla/res/res_art05.html |archive-date=March 2, 2010 }}</ref> Tesla called his invention an "[[inert gas]] [[Gas discharge tube|discharge tube]]".<ref name=powerlabs>{{cite web |url=http://www.powerlabs.org/plasmaglobes.htm#%C2%A0PRINCIPLE%20OF%20OPERATION: |title=PowerLabs Plasma Globes Page |first=Sam |last=Barros |year=2002 |access-date=November 16, 2009 <!--  section=Principle of operation --> |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091203054631/http://www.powerlabs.org/plasmaglobes.htm#%C2%A0PRINCIPLE%20OF%20OPERATION: |archive-date=December 3, 2009 }}</ref> The modern plasma lamp design was developed by [[James Falk]] and MIT student [[Bill Parker (MIT)|Bill Parker]].<ref name=Gache>{{cite web |url=http://news.softpedia.com/news/How-do-Plasma-Lamps-Work-77633.shtml |title=How do plasma lamps work? |first=Gabriel |last=Gache |date=January 31, 2008 |website=Softpedia |access-date=November 16, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210232935/http://news.softpedia.com/news/How-do-Plasma-Lamps-Work-77633.shtml |archive-date=February 10, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/10/24/1081096/making-the-invisible-visible/ |title=MIT News: Alumni profile - Making the invisible visible - Bill Parker '74, SM '93 |author=Ken Shulman |date=October 24, 2023}}</ref>

A [[crackle tube]] is a related device filled with phosphor-coated beads.