An RF fluorescent lamp, comprising a bulbous vitreous portion of the RF fluorescent lamp comprising a vitreous envelope filled with a working gas mixture, a power coupler to induce an alternating electric field within the vitreous envelope, an electronic ballast, and a mercury amalgam accommodating structure mounted within the lamp envelope and adapted to absorb power from the electric field to rapidly heat and vaporize an amalgam of mercury to rapidly illuminate the lamp envelope during a turn-on phase of the RF fluorescent lamp, wherein the structure is comprised of a substrate material coated with a mixture of indium and gold.

An RF fluorescent lamp, comprising a bulbous vitreous portion of the RF fluorescent lamp comprising a vitreous envelope filled with a working gas mixture, a power coupler to induce an alternating electric field within the vitreous envelope, an electronic ballast, and a mercury amalgam accommodating structure mounted within the lamp envelope and adapted to absorb power from the electric field to rapidly heat and vaporize an amalgam of mercury to rapidly illuminate the lamp envelope during a turn-on phase of the RF fluorescent lamp, wherein the structure is comprised of a substrate material coated with a mixture of indium and gold.

A dimmable induction RF fluorescent lamp comprising a dimming circuit enabling the induction RF fluorescent lamp to dim in response to a signal from an external dimming circuit, and having a main mercury amalgam having a vapor pressure at room temperature which is higher than the vapor pressure of the mercury amalgam formed on the flag.

A dimmable induction RF fluorescent lamp comprising a dimming circuit enabling the induction RF fluorescent lamp to dim in response to a signal from an external dimming circuit, and having a main mercury amalgam having a vapor pressure at room temperature which is higher than the vapor pressure of the mercury amalgam formed on the flag.

An RF fluorescent lamp, comprising a bulbous vitreous portion of the RF fluorescent lamp comprising a vitreous envelope filled with a working gas mixture, a power coupler to induce an alternating electric field within the vitreous envelope, an electronic ballast, and a mercury amalgam accommodating structure mounted within the lamp envelope and adapted to absorb power from the electric field to rapidly heat and vaporize an amalgam of mercury to rapidly illuminate the lamp envelope during a turn-on phase of the RF fluorescent lamp, wherein the structure is comprised of a substrate material coated with a mixture of indium and gold.

An RF fluorescent lamp, comprising a bulbous vitreous portion of the RF fluorescent lamp comprising a vitreous envelope filled with a working gas mixture, a power coupler to induce an alternating electric field within the vitreous envelope, an electronic ballast, and a mercury amalgam accommodating structure mounted within the lamp envelope and adapted to absorb power from the electric field to rapidly heat and vaporize an amalgam of mercury to rapidly illuminate the lamp envelope during a turn-on phase of the RF fluorescent lamp, wherein the structure is comprised of a substrate material coated with a mixture of indium and gold.

There are described dispensers (10; 20; 30; 40; 50; 60) of alkali or alkaline-earth metals, comprising deposits of getter materials (13; 23; 33; 43; 53; 63) and alkali or alkaline-earth metal sources (12, 22; 32; 42; 53; 63), in which the sources of alkali or alkaline-earth metal are protected from environmental gases by said deposits of getter materials.

There are described dispensers (10; 20; 30; 40; 50; 60) of alkali or alkaline-earth metals, comprising deposits of getter materials (13; 23; 33; 43; 53; 63) and alkali or alkaline-earth metal sources (12, 22; 32; 42; 53; 63), in which the sources of alkali or alkaline-earth metal are protected from environmental gases by said deposits of getter materials.

A processor controlled induction RF fluorescent lamp, where the control processor runs a load control algorithm at least for switching the electrical load for connection to an external dimming device, the lamp comprising a vitreous envelope filled with an ionizable gas mixture; a power coupler comprising at least one winding of an electrical conductor; and an electronic ballast providing appropriate voltage and current to the power coupler.