A microwave excited ultraviolet lamp system with a data logging and retrieval circuit and method for operating the same. The data logging and retrieval circuit stores operational data in a cache memory using a FIFO data storage protocol. The contents of the cache memory are periodically copied to a larger removable memory so that the removable memory contains a relatively long historical record of the system operational parameters. The data logging and retrieval circuit includes a data port configured to load the contents of the cache memory into an external device when the device is coupled to the data port. A second data port allows the external device to supply power to the data logging and retrieval circuit so that data may be retrieved when the internal power supply is malfunctioning. Data stored in the removable memory may be protected so that it may only be accessed by authorized personnel.

An elongated microwave powered lamp (1) having one or more bulbs with any length or shape or disposition according to a linear series, straight or curved, includes: at least one transparent elongated bulb (2) containing, in an inner space thereof, a material apt to be excited by microwave irradiation thereby emitting an electromagnetic radiation; a coaxial microwave antenna placed outside the bulb (2) and respectively connected to a microwave source (81) via corresponding antenna lead (91), said bulb (2) and said at least one microwave coaxial antenna being displaced in a close relationship to each other to allow the microwave excitation of said material, wherein the outer tubular conductor of the coaxial antenna (5) has spaced holes (6) formed therethrough and facing the bulb (2), at which microwaves are released toward the bulb.

A microwave discharge lamp includes a discharge bulb which is discharged by a microwave and emits a light, a cylindrical resonant cavity which has at least a portion formed of a conductive mesh of net structure and is disposed to cover the discharge bulb, a main antenna which has one end supplied with microwave power through a bottom surface of the resonant cavity and the other end electrically contacting a side surface of the resonant cavity to be grounded, and a dummy antenna which has one end electrically grounded to the bottom surface of the resonant cavity and the other end electrically grounded to the side surface of the resonant cavity and is disposed opposite to the main antenna to be symmetrical to the main antenna about a central axis of the resonant cavity.

A transmission line for conveying a radio frequency (RF) signal between a first terminal and a second terminal. The transmission line comprises an inner conductor, a middle conductor and an outer conductor. The inner conductor comprises a length of conductive material having a first end for electrical connection with the first terminal and a second end for electrical connection with the second terminal. The middle conductor surrounds at least a part of the length of the inner conductor and is electrically connected to the electrical ground of the source. The outer conductor surrounds at least a part of the length of the middle conductor and is electrically connected to the electrical ground of the load.

A microwave discharge lamp includes a discharge bulb which is discharged by a microwave and emits a light, a cylindrical resonant cavity which has at least a portion formed of a conductive mesh of net structure and is disposed to cover the discharge bulb, a main antenna which has one end supplied with microwave power through a bottom surface of the resonant cavity and the other end electrically contacting a side surface of the resonant cavity to be grounded, and a dummy antenna which has one end electrically grounded to the bottom surface of the resonant cavity and the other end electrically grounded to the side surface of the resonant cavity and is disposed opposite to the main antenna to be symmetrical to the main antenna about a central axis of the resonant cavity.

A light-emitting plasma lamp bulb for solar ultraviolet simulation includes a bulb cover having a spherical shape or a rod shape through which ultraviolet rays are transmittable, discharge gas contained in the bulb cover, and a first light-emitting material and a second light-emitting material, wherein the first light-emitting material includes at least one of mercury (Hg) and mercury iodide (HgI.sub.2), and the second light-emitting material includes sulfur (S.sub.8), wherein light emitted from the bulb has a maximum optical power intensity in a range of 395 to 455 nm which is an ultraviolet-visible boundary region, wherein, when compared using a same ultraviolet dose in an ultraviolet region of 290 to 400 nm, an integrated intensity of a visible and infrared region of 400 to 850 nm is equal to or less than of an integrated intensity of a visible and infrared region of a standard solar spectrum (ASTM G173, AM 1.5G).

An ultraviolet lamp system is provided. The ultraviolet lamp system includes: (a) a bulb; (b) at least one magnetron configured to emit microwave energy configured to be received by the bulb; and (c) a power supply configured to provide electrical energy to the at least one magnetron, the power supply being adapted to modulate the electrical energy provided to the at least one magnetron such that light output from the bulb is more uniform in at least one of intensity and spectral output.

An embodiment of a system includes an RF signal source, a first electrode, a second electrode, and a cavity configured to receive an electrodeless bulb. The RF signal source is configured to generate an RF signal. The first electrode is configured to receive the RF signal and to convert the RF signal into electromagnetic energy that is radiated by the first electrode. The cavity is defined by first and second boundaries that are separated by a distance that is less than the wavelength of the RF signal so that the cavity is sub-resonant. The first electrode is physically positioned at the first boundary, and the second electrode is physically positioned at the second boundary. The first electrode, the second electrode, and the cavity form a structure that is configured to capacitively couple the electromagnetic energy into the electrodeless bulb when the electrodeless bulb is positioned within the cavity.

A system, method, and computer program product for optimizing the cooling of a UV bulb during a UV irradiation process is described. A power level in which to operate the UV bulb is received. In addition, a particular type of UV bulb being used in the UV irradiation process is received. Thereafter, at least one optimal UV cooling parameter that corresponds to the power level and the type of UV bulb is retrieved from a UV source parameters database. At least one control signal is then sent to a cooling device that is based on the retrieved optimal UV cooling parameter, and the control signal instructs the cooling device to cool the particular type of UV bulb according to the retrieved optimal UV cooling parameter during the UV irradiation process.

An envelope of an ultraviolet (UV) bulb comprises a tube of UV transmissive material configured to contain a UV emissive material and a plasma resistant coating on an inner surface of the tube wherein the coating has been deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) and is the only material attached to the inner surface of the tube. The tube can be an endless tube having a circular shape and the coating can be an ALD aluminum oxide coating. The UV transmissive material can comprise quartz or fused silica and the tube can have a wall thickness of about 1 to about 2 mm. The coating can have a thickness of no greater than about 200 nm such as about 120 nm to 160 nm. The circular tube can be formed into a torus shape which can have an outer diameter of about 200 mm and the tube itself can have an outer diameter of about 30 mm. The ALD aluminum oxide coating can be a pinhole free conformal coating. A UV bulb comprising the envelope can contain mercury and inert gas such as argon with pressure inside the UV bulb below 100 Torr. A method of curing a film on a semiconductor substrate, comprises supporting a semiconductor substrate in a curing chamber and exposing a layer on the semiconductor substrate to UV radiation produced by the UV bulb. Other uses include semiconductor substrate surface cleaning or sterilization of fluids and objects.