X-ray absorption of the Hg distribution in metal-halide lamps

Spatial temperature profiles of metal-halide lamps have been acquired using x-ray absorption of the Hg density distribution. The temperature profiles were determined by combining the measured absorption of the spatially resolved Hg density with the wall temperature. The data analysis of x-ray absorption is extensive. After the necessary image reconstruction, the line integrated density profile needs to be Abel inverted. The solution from the Abel inversion is stabilized with the Tikhonov regularization parameter. The previous method for x-ray absorption developed in our group has been modified and improved by utilizing the following: (1) a larger outer bulb, (2) the corrections for x-ray scattering on the lamp materials, (3) an optimum value of Tikhonov regularization parameter µ, and (4) employing a higher degree of polynomials used for the Abel inversion. For a similar lamp as reported previously by Zhu, we found an axis temperature of 6200 K instead of 5200 K. The higher temperature is similar to what is found using optical spectroscopic methods. Typical results from a metal-halide lamp with and without salts are shown.