Patent ID: 6992445

Claim:
A high intensity discharge lamp, comprising: a lamp bulb envelope composed of single crystal sapphire tubing, the envelope having a tubular burst pressure of at least 4,500 psi at 1,400° C. and a maximum tensile strength of 56,000 psi at 1,400° C., the lamp bulb envelope having end portions of a first diameter and a central portion having a second diameter being greater than the first diameter; first and second electrodes extending through opposite ends of the lamp bulb envelope so that at least a portion of each of the first and second electrodes is situated within the lamp bulb envelope; a seal sealing each of the first and second electrodes to an inside wall of the corresponding end of the lamp bulb envelope; and a fill situated within the lamp bulb envelope, wherein a voltage is applied to the first and second electrodes to generate an arc plasma therebetween, the voltage being provided by a power supply operating in a continuous non-flash mode, and wherein the arc plasma emits at least one of the following: (i) a radiation in 400 nm to 700 nm visible region of a radiation spectrum with a color temperature between 4,000° K. and 9,000° K.; (ii) a radiation in a 200 nm to 400 nm ultraviolet region of the radiation spectrum and (iii) a radiation in 700 to 2500 nm infrared region of the radiation spectrum.