Low-pressure mercury-vapor discharge lamp and amalgam

摘要

A low-pressure mercury-vapor discharge lamp is provided with a discharge vessel (10). The discharge vessel (10) encloses a discharge space (11) provided with a filling of mercury and an inert gas in a gastight manner. The discharge vessel (10) is provided with an amalgam which communicates with the discharge space (11). The discharge lamp comprises means for maintaining an electric discharge in the discharge vessel (10). The discharge lamp is characterized in that the amalgam comprises a bismuth-lead amalgam having a lead content in the range from 35<=Pb<=60 at. %, a bismuth content in the range from 40<=Bi<=65 at. %, and a mercury content in the range from 0.05<=Hg<=1 at. %. Preferably, the amalgam additionally comprises gold with a gold content in the range from 0.1<=Au<=20 at. %. Preferably, the gold content is in the range from 8<=Au<=12 at. %. The lamp according to the invention exhibits a comparatively high initial radiation output and a short run-up time in combination with a relatively high radiation output at nominal lamp operation, which is achieved in a comparatively large temperature interval.