Spectral Line Sources

Updated
23-VII-2005
Spectral lamps find a home in special laboratory applications where they are commonly employed as stable, high quality sources of discrete spectral lines. Atomic spectra were originally produced either by creating an arc between electrodes fabricated of the metal to be studied, or by sprinkling a powdered salt into an ordinary gas flame. Both methods produce somewhat unstable results and require constant attention. In the 1940s a range of electric discharge lamps was therefore developed to supersede these crude methods, and could guarantee superior results by virtue of the high purity of the metals contained within the discharge tube.

Osram Spectral Series

Osram

Na

Alkali Metal Lamp Sodium Vapour
~1960

Osram

K

Alkali Metal Lamp Potassium Vapour
~1960

Osram

Rb

Alkali Metal Lamp Rubidium Vapour
~1960

Osram

Cs

Alkali Metal Lamp Caesium Vapour
~1960

Osram

Hg

Bivalent Metal Lamp Mercury High Pressure
~1960

Osram

HgS

Bivalent Metal Lamp UV Mercury High Pressure
~1960

Osram

Cd

Bivalent Metal Lamp Cadmium Vapour
~1960

Osram

Zn

Bivalent Metal Lamp Zinc Vapour
~1960

Osram

Tl

Trivalent Metal Lamp Thallium Vapour
~1960

Osram

Hg-Cd

Mixed Metal Lamp Mercury-Cadmium
~1960

Osram

He

Noble Gas Lamp Helium discharge
~1960

Osram

Ne

Noble Gas Lamp Neon discharge
~1960

Philips Spectral Series

Philips

He

Noble Gas Lamp Helium discharge
1985

Philips

Ne

Noble Gas Lamp Helium discharge
1985

Philips

Ar

Noble Gas Lamp Helium discharge
1975

Philips

Kr

Noble Gas Lamp Helium discharge
1984

Philips

Xe

Noble Gas Lamp Helium discharge
1984

Philips

Na

Alkali Metal Lamp Sodium Vapour
1986

Philips

Rb

Alkali Metal Lamp Rubidium Vapour
1987

Philips

Hg

Bivalent Metal Lamp Mercury Low Pressure
1987

Philips

Hg

Bivalent Metal Lamp Mercury High Pressure
1982

Philips

Cd

Bivalent Metal Lamp Cadmium Vapour
1976

Philips

Zn

Bivalent Metal Lamp Zinc Vapour
1959

Philips

Hg

Quartz Jacketed Lamp Mercury Low Pressure
1985

Philips

Zn

Quartz Jacketed Lamp Zinc Vapour
1960

Philips

HgCdZn

Quartz Jacketed Lamp Mercury-Cadmium-Zinc
1960

Philips

Na

Miniature 4-watt sodium polarimetry lamp
1981

GEC 'Osira' Spectral Series

Osram-GEC

 

SL/D 1.3 Sodium Spectral Source
1961

Osram-GEC

 

ML/D 2.0 Mercury Spectral Source
1964

Osram-GEC

 

CL/D 2.0 Cadmium Spectral Source
~1955

Osram-GEC

 

CML/D 2.0 Cadmium & Mercury Spectral Source
1962
       

GE American Lab-Arc Series

GE

 

NA-1 Sodium Lab-Arc Spectral Source
1960

GE

85W

H85A3/UV Lab-Arc Ultraviolet Source
1952