Nitrogen: a possible substitute for mercury as a UV-emitter for mercury-less low-pressure discharge fluorescent lamps using Penning-like energy transfer

摘要: Nitrogen is well known as a UV-emitter because of its 2nd positive band lying around 350 nm. However, it molecular gas and when energy stored in rotational or vibrational levels, the temperature can become high enough to melt even glass tube. To avoid such problems authors tried use Penning-like effect between argon metastables nitrogen C 3Πu states with very low partial pressure compared that argon. By adding small amount argon, discharge changes drastically. Though pure are both unstable easy constrict, improves stability emits UV light by transfer from metastable molecule state. Nitrogen-added fluorescent lamps operated at 30 kHz alternative square voltage wave achieve about 4500 cd m−2 3.75 W 9.3 kPa good dimming characteristics. The maximum luminance should be higher than this input power limited supply. At condition luminous efficacy achieves 7.1 lm W−1. These results show possibility argon–nitrogen mercury-less lamps.