Abstract: Filaments having a thin exterior tungsten phosphide layer for use in incandescent lamps are made by exposing tungsten filaments to vapors of elemental phosphorous at approximately 675.degree. to 725.degree. C. in an evacuated vacuum furnace. The tungsten phosphide layer protects the filaments from oxidation while the lamps are manufactured, and decomposes to tungsten and phosphorous when the lamp is first energized by current. The resulting elemental phosphorous acts as a gettering agent.

Abstract: A subminiature incandescent lamp has a substantially cylindrical base to which a glass envelope enclosing the interior of the lamp is sealed. A pair of contact wires or pins are made of a metal alloy that has substantially the same thermal expansion coefficient as the glass base. The contact pins are embedded and sealed to the glass base in a gas-tight manner, with a glass-to-metal seal. The contact pins extend below the base to provide external connections of the lamp to a power source. The pins also extend into the interior of the lamp, and provide electrical contact to a filament which is mounted between them. A filament support wire is anchored in the glass base at one end thereof and has a loop at its other end in which the mid-section of the filament rests and is mechanically supported.