摘要 |
Methods and apparatus are provided for improving the efficiency of a fluorescent lamp suitable for use as a backlight in an avionics or other liquid crystal display (LCD). The apparatus includes a channel configured confine a vaporous material that produces an ultra-violet light when electrically excited. A first electrode and a second electrode assembly disposed within the channel and configured to apply an electrical potential across at least a portion of the channel to electrically excite the vaporous material. Control circuitry is configured to provide control signals to the first and second electrodes to apply the electrical potential in a manner that produces a mean electron energy that substantially maximizes probabilities of collisions between electrons and particles that that produce more emissions in the light-producing channel having wavelengths substantially less than 400 nm than emissions having wavelengths greater than 800 nm.
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