Abstract: A mercury vapor discharge fluorescent lamp having a barrier layer which is 0.01 to 50 weight percent pigment particles, the presence of the pigment particles in the barrier layer increasing the CRI value of the lamp by at least 1 or 2 or 3 to preferably at least 90. The pigment particles are preferably inorganic and yellow. The color temperature of the lamp is preferably 2300-3800 K. The pigment particles help filter out mercury emissions at 405 and 436 nm.

Abstract: A light source (10) includes a light emitting component (32), such as a UV/blue light emitting diode or laser diode. A layer (62, 162, 262, 362) of a phosphor material is spaced from the light emitting component by a layer (60, 160, 260, 360) of a material which is transmissive to the light emitted by the light emitting component. The phosphor material converts a portion of the light emitted by the light emitting component to light of a longer wavelength such as yellow light. In a preferred embodiment, the light transmissive layer valise in thickness over the light emitting component so that the phosphor is spaced further from the diode in regions where the emission is higher. This increases the Surface area of the phosphor in these regions and minimizes the effects of overheating and saturation on the phosphor emission.