Abstract: A low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp is provided with a discharge vessel (10) enclosing a discharge space (11) containing a filling of mercury and a rare gas, an amalgam (63) which communicates with the discharge space (11), and means for maintaining an electric discharge in the discharge vessel (10). The amalgam (63) comprises a Bi:Sn content in the range of 80:20≦Bi:Sn≦20:80, a Pb content in the range of 0.7<Pb≦12 at % and a Hg content in the range of 0.05≦Hg≦2 at %. For compact fluorescent discharge lamps, the amalgam (63) preferably comprises 70:30≦Bi:Sn≦30:70, 1≦Pb≦10 at % and 0.25≦Hg≦1.2 at %. For electrodeless low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamps, the amalgam preferably comprises 70:30≦Bi:Sn≦30:70, 1≦Pb≦10 at % and 0.05≦Hg≦0.5 at %.

Abstract: A low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp having a discharge vessel sealed in a gas-tight manner in which a discharge is present during operation of the lamp. The vessel contains a small quantity of an alloy comprising indium, tin and zinc forming an amalgam with mercury, the ratio between the atoms of indium and the atoms of tin in the amalgam-forming alloy being between 3:1 and 8:1, the ratio between the sum of the atoms of indium and tin and the atoms of zinc being between 95:5 and 99:1 and the ratio between the sum of the atoms of indium, tin and zinc and the atoms of mercury being between 95:5 and 99:1.

Abstract: High-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp containing rare gas, mercury, sodium halide and at least one halide of at least one of the rare earth metals Ce, Pr, Nd and Lu. The lamp is suitable for a nominal power in the range from 10 to 2000 W. The molar ratio of rare earth metal to sodium, Ln:Na, has a value from 1:20 to 1:1 and the quantity of mercury, A, has a value from 2 to 100 mg/cm.sup.3. Ln:Na and A have in these ranges a low value for lamps having a high value of the power, and higher values according as the nominal power of the lamp has a lower value.