Importance

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Abstract

A planar fluorescent lamp having a sealed chamber and divider walls to create a serpentine discharge path is provided with sidewall electrodes. A plurality of sidewall electrodes are spaced from each other and positioned adjacent each sidewall of the sealed chamber. In a preferred embodiment, the sidewall electrodes are planar, cold electrode plates. The electrodes extend generally from one divider wall to the other divider wall along a single sidewall. In alternative embodiments, the sidewall electrodes are positioned within the chamber directly exposed to the mercury vapor, or, alternatively, are separated from the chamber by a dielectric layer. The sidewall electrodes are powered in pairs, each pair being driven at a different frequency than any other pair. Providing sidewall electrodes increases the uniformity of light emission from the lamp as well as increasing the overall range over which the light can be dimmed, aids in starting the lamp and increasing the overall brightness of the light output from the lamp.

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First Claim