Xenon Short Arc Lamps for Film Projection: The State of the Art after 20 Years

Xenon short arc lamps were developed in Europe over thirty years ago, but were not used in the United States until twenty years ago. The first major applications of these lamps were with developments associated with the New York World's Fair, and later serious applications were found in studios and theaters in the mid-1960's. Since that time, growth in the use of xenon arc lamps has been rapid and widespread. Unfortunately, with only half-a-dozen factory sources, the various short arc bulbs were often introduced in noninterchangeable designs by manufacturers using a variety of lengths and pin fittings. This tends to complicate the various applications, but there are a limited number of lamp designs between 500 and 5000 W which fit all studio and theater applications. The various types and sizes are outlined and reviewed here. Over the past thirty years, a number of cathode, anode, and arc space designs have been developed, with varying degrees of success and different lamp lives.