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.

A discharge lamp includes a discharge vessel. A xenon gas is sealed within the discharge vessel so as to serve as a light emitting gas, the discharge vessel is made from quartz glass, a pair of electrodes are arranged so as to face each other in the discharge vessel, and the discharge vessel has a chip portion. The chip portion is made from a glass member that has a composition different from that of the discharge vessel, and the glass member has a transmittance of 50% or more over a wavelength range from 170 nm to 300 nm.

A discharge lamp includes a discharge vessel. A xenon gas is sealed within the discharge vessel so as to serve as a light emitting gas, the discharge vessel is made from quartz glass, a pair of electrodes are arranged so as to face each other in the discharge vessel, and the discharge vessel has a chip portion. The chip portion is made from a glass member that has a composition different from that of the discharge vessel, and the glass member has a transmittance of 50% or more over a wavelength range from 170 nm to 300 nm.

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.