Xenon flash lamps

Xenon flash lamps are not, like other discharge lamps, operated with series impedance (ballast) to cope with the negative resistance of the arc discharge.

Instead, Xenon flash lamps are designed to discharge a capacitor within a millisecond. This high power density results in a satisfactory efficiency. Spreading the discharge over a longer time or even continuous operation would severely reduce lamp efficiency.

Continuous operating arc xenon lamps are manufactured for very high power densities for projector applications.

To ignite Xenon flash lamps often a third electrode, wrapped around the arc tube, is provided with a pulse of several Kilovolts.

The light from Xenon lamps is emitted in a large number of spectral lines and appears to be white.

Flash lamps are used in photography and specialized medical and industrial applications as well as disinfection and curing systems.