X-ray generation from nixie bulbs?

[Michelle_]

So I've read that if you hit a vacuum tube with a tesla coil it will generate X-rays. What about nixie tubes, or nixie light bulbs? Is that just for the arc or would a slayer exciter also generate X-rays?

See picture of nixie bulb, or what I think one is.

[Twospoons]

Generating xrays requires accelerating electrons to high speeds then slamming them into a metal target.  The neon gas fill in a nixie would likely stop the electrons ever reaching speeds where significant xray generation would occur.

But thats just my opinion.

[Michelle_]

Generating xrays requires accelerating electrons to high speeds then slamming them into a metal target.  The neon gas fill in a nixie would likely stop the electrons ever reaching speeds where significant xray generation would occur.

But thats just my opinion.

So it has to be literally a vacuum tube, or a bulb with an inner section and outer vacuum section I guess? I just wasn't sure about nixie tubes. Here's the video that made me wonder about nixie bulbs specifically: (not clear to me what is "very low pressure")

[alan sailer]

I just looked up x-ray energy and the definition is 100eV to 100KeV. So a neon bulb (as far as I know nixies are the tubes that display numbers)
runs below 100 volts breakdown (to produce the glow discharge) and should not produce x-rays. And as twospoons said, x-ray tubes usually have a target that the accelerated electrons can slam into and produce Bremsstrahlung.  (literally stopping radiation).

Upon further reflection, the neon glowing implies that the electrons are hitting the neon atoms, exciting them and then light is emitted when the excited  neon electron decays. So most of the electron energy is being absorbed by the neon instead of hitting the other electrode.

Low pressure in a x-ray tube is below 1 milli-torr.

All this said I am most impressed by experiments rather than speculation. Beg, borrow or buy a geiger counter and let the experiment be done...

Cheers.

[Michelle_]

Interesting, makes sense. I should get a Geiger counter though I’ve always wanted one.

[klugesmith]

Yes, get a Geiger counter. Great for qualitative detection of x-rays at low intensity. Even from, as I can attest, unspooling sticky tape in a vacuum.

[alan sailer]

I tried that experiment with no luck at all. Even bought the exact tape (not made any more) from England.

I did get a good batch of x-rays from a tube and a Whimhurst generator.

Cheers.