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Pulsing mercury arc lamps for uncaging and fast imaging
1Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, Murray Hill, New Jersey 07974, USA. denk@bell-labs.com
Journal of Neuroscience Methods
|March 1, 1997
Summary
Researchers boosted mercury bulb light intensity 100x using current pulses, creating a broadband spectrum. This pulsed mercury bulb offers comparable radiance to xenon flash lamps with reduced electrical artifacts for various applications.
Area of Science:
- Photonic devices
- Pulsed power systems
- Spectroscopy
Background:
- Mercury short arc lamps are common light sources.
- Achieving high peak radiance often requires specialized equipment like xenon flash lamps.
- Pulsed operation can significantly alter lamp characteristics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the feasibility of enhancing mercury short arc lamp output.
- To characterize the spectral changes and radiance of a pulsed mercury bulb.
- To evaluate the potential of this pulsed system for specific applications.
Main Methods:
- Superimposing a high-current pulse (100 A, 1-2 ms) onto a 3 A simmer current.
- Measuring light intensity and spectral distribution during the pulse.
- Comparing performance to steady-state operation and xenon flash lamps.
Main Results:
- Light intensity increased approximately 100-fold for ~1 ms.
- Output spectrum shifted from line emission to broadband distribution.
- Radiance during the pulse was comparable to xenon flash bulbs.
- Reduced electrical artifacts compared to xenon flash lamps due to lack of high-voltage ignition.
Conclusions:
- Pulsed current significantly enhances mercury short arc lamp performance.
- The pulsed mercury bulb is a viable alternative to xenon flash lamps for high-radiance applications.
- Potential applications include photochemistry, high-speed imaging, and advanced microscopy.