Method for introducing mercury into a fluorescent lamp during manufacture and a mercury carrier body facilitating such method

Method for introducing a limited amount of mercury into a fluorescent lamp (10) during manufacture thereof includes the steps of forming the lamp with an exhaust tubulation (14) therein open at an end (30) thereof and provided with a ball retention structure, exhausting the interior of the lamp (10) through the tubulation open end (30), placing a rigid body (28) of inert material in the tubulation (14) between the ball retention structure and the tubulation open end (30), the ball (28) having a coating (34) of a selected one of silver, gold, and indium of a selected mass over a selected surface area of the body (28), and mercury (36) on the coated area, and sealing the open end (30) of the tubulation (14), whereby the amount of mercury (36) retained on the body (28) and thereby introduced into the lamp (10) is limited by the selected mass of the coating (34) on the body (28).