AVS 50th International Symposium
    Applied Surface Science Monday Sessions
       Session AS-MoM

Paper AS-MoM5
Rutherford Backscattering Quantification of Mercury Interaction with Fluorescent Lamp Materials

Monday, November 3, 2003, 9:40 am, Room 324/325

Session: Practical Surface Science
Presenter: C.H. Peters, Osram Sylvania Inc.
Authors: C.H. Peters, Osram Sylvania Inc.
M.W. Grossman, Osram Sylvania Inc.
T.A. Dang, Osram Sylvania Inc.
T.A. Frisk, Osram Sylvania Inc.
Correspondent: Click to Email
Understanding mercury interactions with lamp materials is essential to reducing the amount of Hg required for operation of fluorescent lamps as well as improving light output. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) is especially well suited to quantification of heavy elements such as Hg or Ba in a light matrix (e.g. soda lime glass). It provides quantitative measurement of trace amounts of mercury and non-destructive depth distribution information. We have developed a method to quantify buried Hg layers in glass under intact 1 to 2 µm thick alumina particulate coatings without the need to remove the coating layer. In uncoated lamps RBS can measure Hg uptake in soda lime glass within the first hour of operation. We have used RBS to characterize the effectiveness of coating layers in reducing interaction between Hg and the glass lamp envelope. Results from actual fluorescent lamps will be compared with quartz and soda lime glass wafers implanted with known amounts of mercury.