Mercury Isotopes for Efficient UV Lamps and Fluorescent Lighting

Mercury-discharge lamp technology is the basis for fluorescent lighting and UV lamps for water purification. We showed that by modifying the ratios of the seven stable isotopes of mercury from their natural relative abundances, lamp efficiencies can be improved by over 20%. In parallel, recent methods of isotope separation can make the cost of the optimized isotopic mixtures economically competitive. We review these recent developments and discuss implications for future lighting and UV lamp technologies.