VERFAHREN ZUR UNTERDRUECKUNG VON OZON IN EINER EINE OZONERZEUGENDEN LAMPE ENTHALTENDEN VORRICHTUNG

A method and means for suppressing ozone generated by high pressure xenon arc lamps and similar luminous discharge arc lamps of a type normally generating ozone. The ozone-generating lamp is enclosed in a gas-tight housing having a quartz or sapphire light emission window able to transmit light including ultraviolet. The housing has metal cover plates on its various sides acting as heat sinks, each of which has a large number of external heat-radiating fins. Clearance is provided inside the housing sufficient to cause the ozone formed by short wavelengths to be broken down by thermal contact with the lamp and to be thus converted into stable O2. The heat generated by the lamp in the housing is transferred to the walls of the housing and is dissipated by the external heat-radiating fins. The inner surfaces of the cover plates are blackened to absorb waste light. The arc is oscillated by an alternating current magnet to continuously shift the area of thermionic emission of electrons from the cathode so as to minimize local deterioration of the cathode and to prevent flicker. The technique operates to selectively remove the short ozone-producing wavelengths (180 to 200 nm) from the radiation emitted through the emission window.