Abstract: A fluorescent lamp including a glass bulb, a protection layer formed on an inner surface of the glass bulb, and a phosphor layer formed on a surface of the protection layer. The surface of the protection layer that is in contact with the phosphor layer has cracks. The bulk density of the metal oxide particles in the protection layer 32 is 80% or more. The surface of the protection layer 32 has 20 to 200 cracks per millimeter in a tube axis direction. The average particle diameter of the metal oxide particles is in the range from 0.01 ?m to 1 ?m. The thickness of the protection layer is in the range from 0.5 ?m to 5 ?m.

Abstract: A cold cathode fluorescent lamp includes a glass bulb (16), a protective film (22) formed on an inner face of the glass bulb, and a phosphor layer (24) that overlaps the protective film and that contains blue phosphor particles (26B), green phosphor particles (26) and red phosphor particles (26). The glass bulb has been formed from soda glass, and the blue phosphor particles have been coated with a metal oxide (30). Also, the protective film is made of silica (SiO2). Since the protective film has been provided in the fluorescent lamp and since the blue phosphor particles, which readily deteriorate, have been coated with the metal oxide, a good luminance maintenance rate is obtained. In addition, although the glass bulb of the fluorescent lamp is made of soda glass, since the protective film is made of silica, the fluorescent lamp obtains an initial luminance equivalent to the initial luminance of a fluorescent lamp whose glass bulb is made of borosilicate glass.

Abstract: A fluorescent lamp (20) includes a glass bulb (30) that has mercury enclosed therein, and a phosphor layer (32) formed on an inner side of the glass bulb (30). The phosphor layer (32) includes three types of phosphor particles, which are red phosphor particles (32R), green phosphor particles (32G) and blue phosphor particles (32B) that are excited by ultraviolet radiation to emit red light, green light and blue light respectively. The blue phosphor particles (32B) and green phosphor particles (32G) have a property of absorbing ultraviolet radiation with a wavelength of 313 nm.

Abstract: A backlight unit has an external electrode fluorescent lamp in a housing. The external electrode fluorescent lamp includes a glass bulb having a discharge space inside, and electrodes around both ends of the glass bulb. A protective layer and a phosphor layer are formed on an internal surface of the glass bulb in this order. The glass bulb is made of soda glass, and sodium oxide precipitated from this soda glass appears on part of the internal surface of the glass bulb where the protective layer is not formed, so as to be exposed to the discharge space.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fluorescent lamp, and in particular to a fluorescent lamp with an improved in-dark starting characteristic. A fluorescent lamp includes: a glass bulb (101) having a discharge space therein; two external electrodes (102 and 103) provided at both ends of the glass bulb; and a phosphor layer (106) provided on an inner surface of the glass bulb. The glass bulb is made of glass that contains 3% to 20% inclusive of sodium oxide. The phosphor layer includes phosphor particles (106R and 106G) containing no alumina and phosphor particles (106B) containing alumina. A metal oxide (107) is attached to surfaces of the phosphor particles containing alumina. Sodium oxide precipitated on the inner surface of the glass bulb improves the in-dark starting characteristic. The phosphor particles containing alumina are protected by the metal oxide for being susceptible to deterioration due to reaction thereof with sodium oxide.

Abstract: A backlight unit has an external electrode fluorescent lamp in an housing. The external electrode fluorescent lamp includes a glass bulb having a discharge space inside, and electrodes around both ends of the glass bulb. A protective layer and a phosphor layer are formed on an internal surface of the glass bulb in this order. The glass bulb is made of soda glass, and sodium oxide precipitated from this soda glass appears on part of the internal surface of the glass bulb where the protective layer is not formed, so as to be exposed to the discharge space.

Abstract: A fluorescent lamp including a glass bulb that is in a shape of a tube. External electrodes are formed as conductive layers each of which covers an outer surface of the glass bulb at an end thereof. Metal members in a shape of a cap are respectively connected to the external electrodes by covering at least part of the external electrodes. The metal members are formed such that rims of the metal members recede from a center of the glass bulb in the tube axis direction a distance L than rims of the external electrodes.

Abstract: A fluorescent lamp including a glass bulb, a protection layer formed on an inner surface of the glass bulb, and a phosphor layer formed on a surface of the protection layer. The surface of the protection layer that is in contact with the phosphor layer has cracks. The bulk density of the metal oxide particles in the protection layer 32 is 80% or more. The surface of the protection layer 32 has 20 to 200 cracks per millimeter in a tube axis direction. The average particle diameter of the metal oxide particles is in the range from 0.01 ?m to 1 ?m. The thickness of the protection layer is in the range from 0.5 ?m to 5 ?m.