Getting Your UV Light Exactly Right with Gallium Iodide
Most standard UV lamps are just… okay. But if your project needs a razor-sharp, high-intensity peak in the UV-A or UV-B range, “okay” doesn’t cut it. That’s why we build custom gallium iodide (GaI) lamps. Think of these less like lightbulbs and more like precision tools designed for one specific job.
The secret is in the gallium
Here is how it works: we use gallium iodide to shift the light spectrum. By tweaking the gallium concentration and the pressure inside the arc tube, we can lock the output to a very specific wavelength. It’s a huge advantage. You can hit a precise molecular bond without wasting energy on infrared heat. Nobody wants their substrate warping because the lamp is running too hot. If your reaction needs 365nm or 405nm, that’s exactly where we put the power.No wasted energy. No guesswork.
The build: No shortcuts
We only use high-purity synthetic quartz for the envelope. Period. Standard glass just blocks UV, but synthetic quartz lets it fly through. These tubes are built to handle a lot of current, but you’ve got to be smart about the heat. High-wattage GaI lamps gethot. Really hot. If your cooling setup isn’t up to the task, you’re going to see the quartz degrade or the electrodes start pitting way too soon. Keep them cool, and they’ll last.
Putting them to work
We can handle the end-caps however you need them so they just slide right into your existing setup. Whether it’s a weird pin layout or a custom length, we’ll machine it to fit your footprint. These are built for labs and production lines where “close enough” isn’t good enough. Just a heads-up: gallium lamps are picky about voltage. Use a stabilized power supply. It keeps the wavelength steady and stops the tube from burning out before its time.