Metal halide discharge lamp having a particular ratio of halogen atoms to mercury atoms

Claim 2

IN A HIGH PRESSURE ELECTRIC DISCHARGE DEVICE HAVING AN ARC TUBE WITH ELECTRODES SEALED AT EACH END THEREOF AND HAVING MEANS TO CONVEY ELECTRICAL ENERGY TO EACH OF SAID ELECTRODES AND HAVING ATOMS OF MERCURY, ATOMS OF A HALOGEN SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF IODINE, BROMINE AND CHLORINE AND ATOMS OF A METAL CAPABLE OF REACTING WITH HALOGEN, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES: SAID HALOGEN AND MERCURY BEING CONTAINED IN SAID ARC TUBE IN A RATIO OF HALOGEN ATOMS TO MERCURY ATOMS BETWEEN ABOUT 0.08 TO 0.75, THE VISIBLE EMISSION OF SAID ARC TUBE WHEN AN ARC IS FORMED THEREIN BEING A SUBSTAN-

Claim 3

The device according to claim 1 wherein the forest of spectral lines produces a white light.

Claim 4

The device according to claim 1 wherein a rare gas is contained within said arc tube.

Claim 5

The device according to claim 1 wherein the source of said halogen atoms is at least one member selected from the group consisting of mercury iodide, mercury bromide, mercury chloride, elemental iodide, elemental chlorine and elemental bromine.

Claim 6

The device according to claim 1 wherein the amount of mercury within said arc tube is that which will be completely vaporized at normal operating temperatures of said device and when a pressure in excess of one half atmosphere is attained.

Claim 7

The device according to claim 1 wherein thorium metal is disposed upon at least one of the electrodes.

Claim 8

The device according to claim 5 wherein substantially anhydrous materials for said arc tube are used.

Claim 9

The device according to claim 5 wherein the halogen is iOdine.

Claim 10

A high pressure electric discharge device having an arc tube with electrodes sealed at each end thereof and having means to convey electrical energy to each of said electrodes and having atoms of mercury, atoms of a halogen selected from the group consisting of iodine, bromine and chlorine and atoms of a metal capable of reacting with halogen, the improvement which comprises: said halogen and mercury being contained in said arc tube in a ratio of halogen atoms to mercury atoms between about 0.08 to 0.75, the amount of mercury within said arc tube being such as to be completely vaporized at temperatures attained within said arc tube between 450* and 700*C when a pressure in excess of one half atmosphere is attained, the visible emission of said arc tube when an arc is formed therein being a substantially complete forest of spectral lines in the emission spectrum, appearing at spacings less than about 5A apart.

Claim 11

A high pressure electric discharge device having an arc tube with electrodes sealed at each end thereof and having means to convey electrical energy to each of said electrodes and having atoms of mercury, atoms of a halogen selected from the group consisting of iodine, bromine and chlorine and atoms of a metal capable of reacting with halogen, the improvement which comprises: said halogen and mercury being contained in said arc tube in a ratio of halogen atoms to mercury atoms between about 0.08 to 0.75, the amount of mercury within said arc tube being such as to be completely vaporized at temperatures attained within said arc tube between 450* and 700*C when a pressure in excess of one half atmosphere is attained, the visible emission of said arc tube when an arc is formed therein being a substantially complete forest of spectral lines in the emission spectrum, appearing at spacings less than about 5A apart.

Claim 12

The device according to claim 9 wherein thorium metal is disposed upon at least one of the electrodes.

Claim 13

The device according to claim 10 wherein substantially anhydrous materials for said arc tube are used.

Claim 14

The device according to claim 11 wherein a rare gas is contained within said arc tube.