Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus and method are disclosed for an open chamber photoluminescent lamp. The photoluminescent planar lamp is gas-filled and contains photoluminescent materials that emit visible light when the gas emits ultraviolet energy in response to a plasma discharge. The lamp comprises first and second opposing plates manufactured from a glass material having a loss tangent .ltoreq.0.05%. In another embodiment the first and second plates have a dielectric constant greater than 5. In yet another embodiment, the first and second plates have a volume resistivity greater than 1.times.10.sup.12 .OMEGA.cm. A plurality of sidewalls are coupled to peripheral edges of the first and second plates so that the sidewalls and opposing surfaces of the first and second plates define an interior portion that contains the gas and photoluminescent material, and first and second spaced-apart electrodes disposed along an exterior surface of at least one of the first and second plates to create an electric field when electrical power is applied thereto whereby the electric field interacts with the gas contained by the interior chamber.

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First Claim