Low Cost Converter Drives Fluorescent Tubes:  03/31/94 EDN-Design Ideas / (added 03/03) In the last few months, several designers have published circuits for cold-cathode fluorescent-tube (CCFT) power supplies, and a specialized power-supply IC is also now available. However, a significant number of CCFT applications don't require the complexity and expense of a dual-FET resonant approach. Applications such as electronic night-lights, backlights for industrial equipment, such as gas pumps or signs, simply can't justify the cost of building a resonant supply. The low-cost circuit in Fig 1 produces a small, very reliable drive for many of the smaller CCFT tubes.... 

Low Cost Non-Dimming 220V Ballast Design / AN-42001:  Fairchild Application Notes / (Circuit / schematic design added 6/06)

ML4833 220V Non-Dimming Ballast Design / ABR-42022:  Fairchild Application Notes / (Circuit / schematic design added 6/06)

Novel Process for Vacuum Fluorescent   (VF) Display Drivers:  National Semiconductor - Application Note   (Circuit / schematic design added 6/06)

PIC Vacuum Fluorescent Display Interface:  (Electronic circuit added 4/05)

Powering Fluorescent Lamps from Low Voltage DC!:  inverter circuits (Electronic Schematic / circuit added 4/02)

Preheat Starter for Electronic Ballast:  10/04/01 EDN-Design Ideas / (Electronic Schematic / circuit added 4/02) /  Electronic ballasts for fluorescent lamps use various techniques to turn on the bulbs. The design usually involves a compromise between turn-on voltage and lamp life because the two are inversely related. One way to reach a reasonable compromise is to initially allow a momentary inrush current to warm the filaments, followed by a series of interrupted short circuits across the lamp that generate the required high voltage to trigger the fluorescent. With a preheated filament, the necessary strike potential reduces to half.

Switching Regulator Controls Ccft:  02/16/95 EDN-Design Ideas / (Electronic Circuit diagram added 03/03) - You can control the current in a cold-cathode fluorescent tube (CCFT) and, hence, its brightness with a switching-regulator IC

Universal Input Linear Fluorescent Ballast using the IR2166:  The IR2166 Demo Board is a high efficiency, high power factor, fixed output electronic ballast designed for driving rapid start fluorescent lamp types. The design contains an EMI filter, active power factor correction and a ballast control circuit using the IR2166.  (circuit design added 3/05)