Abstract: A power supply and method for operating a power supply for a short arc lamp are provided herein. The power supply and method can operate to provide to a number of advantageous operations. One aspect herein provides a power supply which utilizes a constant power mode type of operation. However, the constant power mode is modified to allow for some variation in power in order to provide for a more constant light output by the lamp. A second aspect herein provides for controlling the operation of a boost voltage applied to the lamp at start up. This control allows for adjusting the applied boost voltage to accommodate the changing characteristics of the lamp itself, and these adjustments can allow for extended life of the lamp.

Abstract: A fiberoptic-driving ceramic arc lamp system comprises a ceramic arc lamp fitted with as many as three filters attached to the lamp unit and its heat sinks. A heat-collecting ring is nested into matching groves in the front of the lamp unit and is thermally connected to the lamp's heatsinks and cooling system. A hot mirror is disposed in the heat-collecting ring nearest the lamp unit's window. Such mirror is coated on its near side with IR reflecting materials and is coated on its distal side with UV reflecting materials. A heat-absorbing glass is also disposed in the heat-collecting ring after the hot mirror. It collects more of the IR that was missed by the hot mirror and disperses it as heat through the cooling system. The remaining light can then be focused onto the input end of a fiberoptic bundle without danger of overheating and melting the fiberoptic materials.

Abstract: An arc lamp comprises a single edge-to-edge cathode support strut on which the cathode is mounted with an end slot. Such makes heat and thermal stress loading on the assembly symmetrical over operational time, and arc tip wander from the anode center is practically eliminated. Nine component parts that are brought together in only three brazes and one TIG-weld to result in a finished product. An anode assembly is brazed with the rest of a body sub-assembly in one step instead of two. A single-bar cathode-support strut is brazed together as one step. A window flange and a sapphire output window are brazed together with the product of the strut braze step in a mounted-cathode-braze step. A copper-tube fill tubulation, a kovar sleeve, a ceramic reflector body, an anode flange, and a tungsten anode are all brazed together in a “body-braze” step. The products of the mounted-cathode-braze step and body-braze step are tungsten-inert-gas (TIG) welded together in a final welding step.

Abstract: A high pressure mercury lamp comprises a quartz envelope that contains an atmosphere and a pair of arc-discharge electrodes. These are coil-wound tungsten that has been doped to grain-stabilize the tungsten crystalline structure, e.g., with potassium or potassium and alumina. Preferred potassium doping levels of the tungsten material are in the range of 35-75 ppm. A suitable commercial product of alumina and potassium doped tungsten material is Type BSD-Sylvania. The atmosphere generally comprises a rare gas like xenon, to which is added no more than 0.2 mg/mm3 of mercury so as to keep operating pressure under 200 bar (197 atm). But the electrical power applied is sufficient to maintain arc power loadings of at least 150 watts/mm. The resultant wall loading is more than 0.8 watts/mm2, and lamp operating-power levels can be greater than 150 watts.

Abstract: An arc lamp system comprises a power supply coupled to a xenon arc lamp through an interface constructed on a heavy printed circuit board. Such plugs directly into an igniter printed circuit board. In turn, a xenon arc lamp module with heatsinks plugs directly onto banana plugs bolted on the interface printed circuit board. Copper traces buried on inner layers of the interface printed circuit board are very wide and heavy, and kept as short as possible.

Abstract: A water-cooled arc lamp comprises a two concentric cylindrical glass envelopes. A circulation of high purity water and ethylene glycol is maintained between the envelopes which form a water jacket. Such water mixture is highly transparent to light at the relevant wavelengths. A pair of anode and cathode electrodes in a xenon atmosphere is disposed inside the inner envelope. The cooling water mixture is pumped at a sufficiently high flow rate to prevent water from boiling at the glass to water surfaces and thereby suppress bubbles. A safety interlock flow switch is able to interrupt arc lamp operating power if the water circulation fails. An external parabolic reflector compensates for the light path diffraction distortions that occur as the light passes through the water jacket. In alternative embodiments, the water mixture is color doped to color filter the output light.

Abstract: A high pressure mercury lamp comprises a quartz envelope that contains an atmosphere and a pair of arc-discharge electrodes. These are coil-wound tungsten that has been doped to grain-stabilize the tungsten crystalline structure, e.g., with potassium or potassium and alumina. Preferred potassium doping levels of the tungsten material are in the range of 35-75 ppm. A suitable commercial product of alumina and potassium doped tungsten material is Type BSD-Sylvania. The atmosphere generally comprises a rare gas like xenon, to which is added no more than 0.2 mg/mm3 of mercury so as to keep operating pressure under 200 bar (197 atm). But the electrical power applied is sufficient to maintain arc power loadings of at least 150 watts/mm. The resultant wall loading is more than 0.8 watts/mm2, and lamp operating-power levels can be greater than 150 watts.

Abstract: An arc lamp system comprises a power supply coupled to a xenon arc lamp through an interface constructed on a heavy printed circuit board. Such plugs directly into an igniter printed circuit board. In turn, a xenon arc lamp module with heatsinks plugs directly onto banana plugs bolted on the interface printed circuit board. Copper traces buried on inner layers of the interface printed circuit board are very wide and heavy, and kept as short as possible.