Certain electrometer tubes like the Raytheon 5886 are very light sensitive and must be operated and tested in darkness. I assume because of their extremely high input impedance. Every instance of use I've seen by such manufactures as Keithley, General Radio and Victoreen shields them from any external light. Photomultipliers are also shielded from light other then the operating window.
I read somewhere that some valves might have some photoemission alongside thermionic emission, thus adding noise. I have no idea if this is true, but I suspect that at most it will be a very small effect.
Langford Smith's book has a chapter in which he describes that some part of the grid currents are because of light from cathode itself.
If the sun is the cathode, is the earth the plate?... and the atmosphere the grid? We could make a huge single-ended amplifier!
I like it.
Only problem is we have power flow with no circuit return path
Also the smog electron cloud could be a major problem.
Regards
M. Gregg
And Mars, the screen?If the sun is the cathode, is the earth the plate?... and the atmosphere the grid? We could make a huge single-ended amplifier!
And Mars, the screen?
No - that would have to be Venus (Mars is further away from us and the sun). Mercury would be the control grid.
The basic problem with this strange concept is be that the elements would only be in alignment very rarely due to their different solar orbit durations. To explore, see here... Solar System Scope
Cathodes eventually lose the ability to emit enough electrons (or so I've read).
Sounds just like the sun. I think its when it starts making iron.
Then lights out and Boom.
Regards
M. Gregg
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