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UV light bulbs produce ultraviolet light, which is invisible to the naked eye and occurs naturally in sunlight or artificially in electric arcs and lamps. Different types of UV bulbs emit specific wavelengths of UV radiation and are used for medical treatments, pest control, safety testing, and curing adhesives. The bulbs contain a pressurized mixture of inert gases and small amounts of mercury, with a phosphor coating that shields the radiation and emits specific wavelengths of UV light. UV light is used for various purposes, including medical and cosmetic treatments, forensic investigation, bug zappers, and security verification devices.
Ultraviolet (UV) light bulb is a fairly general term to describe most types of lamps capable of producing ultraviolet light. UV light is a short wavelength form of electromagnetic radiation that is generally invisible to the naked eye. It occurs naturally in sunlight and is generated artificially in electric arcs and ultraviolet lamps. Common types of UV bulbs include fluorescent tubes, black light and gas discharge lamps. UV lamps have a wide variety of uses, including medical and cosmetic treatments, pest control, safety testing, and curing certain adhesives.
Ultraviolet light has wavelengths between 10 and 400 nanometers which places it in a higher frequency than that of violet light, hence the name. UV light occurs naturally in sunlight and is also generated artificially by electric arcs and specially designed lamps. There are several classes of UV bulbs, all with specific ultraviolet radiation characteristics such as UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C wavelengths. The most common are the high pressure mercury or fluorescent varieties, although many other types are available. These include xenon arc, metal halide, mercury-xenon, deuterium arc and tungsten halogen incandescent lamps.
A UV bulb typically consists of a glass envelope containing a pressurized mixture of inert gases and small amounts of mercury. This glass envelope also contains an electrical filament coated with a carefully formulated and applied layer of phosphor. When the bulb is energized, the inert gases transmit the charge to the mercury, causing a reaction in its atomic structure and the production of UV radiation. The phosphor coating effectively shields this radiation to allow certain wavelengths of UV light to be emitted based on the structure of the coating. Manipulating the composition of this phosphor layer allows for very precise control of the volume and nature of the UV light emitted.
These bulbs can be used for a variety of processes that rely on exposure to various UV wavelengths. Common UV systems include medical and cosmetic treatments such as sunbeds used for tanning and treating eczema and vitiligo. Photochemotherapy used to treat psoriasis is a combination treatment involving simultaneous exposure to psoralens and UV-A light. UV light is also a useful forensic investigation tool as it exposes the presence of bodily fluids such as blood, semen and saliva regardless of the surface deposited. Shortwave UV-C light is also often used to kill bacteria such as E. coli and Giardia in drinking water, rendering the microorganisms unable to replicate.
A bulb of this type is also used as a device for attracting insects in bug zappers. Items printed or coated with various phosphorescent materials glow brightly when exposed to UV light and are widely used as decorative accessories. UV light sources are also used in security verification devices that can expose otherwise invisible security features on holographic credit cards and bills. Emissions from a UV bulb can also strip programming from erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) components. Many adhesives and potting resins also cure or cure when exposed to UV bulb light sources, which allows for on-demand cure flexibility in their use.
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