Patent ID: 7226334

Claim:
An apparatus for making a ceramic arc tube comprising: a pressure jacket having a pressure chamber containing an RF susceptor, the susceptor having an opening for receiving a capillary of the arc tube, an RF induction coil situated external to the pressure jacket and surrounding the RF susceptor, the RF induction coil being connected to an RF power source and being embedded in a cooling block; the pressure chamber being connected to a source of pressurized buffer gas and a vacuum source, the source of pressurized buffer gas being regulated by a valve connected to a pressure controller having a pressure sensor for measuring the pressure in the pressure chamber; a holder having a support for the arc tube, the height of the support being selected to cause an unsealed end of the arc tube to be positioned within the RF susceptor when the holder is sealed to the apparatus; and the apparatus when sealed being capable of alternately evacuating the pressure chamber and filling the pressure chamber with buffer gas.