Ultra Violet Glossary
Complete UV Industry Glossary
At Lamp Express USA Inc., we provide the UV light sources that power curing, bonding, printing, disinfection, and finishing systems across industries. This glossary defines the most important terms in our industry so you can better understand how UV technology works and why quality light sources are essential.
Absorption Spectrum
The range of wavelengths a material absorbs. In curing, knowing the absorption spectrum of inks and coatings helps select the right lamp type. Lamp Express USA Inc. supplies UV lamps designed to deliver the energy those materials need.
Accelerator
A chemical additive used to speed up UV curing, improving productivity.
Acute Exposure
Short-term, high-intensity exposure to UV or chemicals. Safety standards limit acute exposure for operators.
Actinic Radiation
Radiation that causes photochemical reactions. UV actinic wavelengths activate photo-initiators in curing systems.
Adhesion Promoter
An additive that improves ink or coating adhesion on tough surfaces like plastics or glass.
Air Deposition
Airborne pollutants (like mercury) settling to the ground. Safe handling and disposal of UV lamps prevents this risk.
Ambient Light
Background light in a workspace. Strong ambient light can prematurely activate UV-sensitive coatings before curing.
Anode
The positively charged electrode in a UV lamp. Works with the cathode to sustain the arc.
Annealing
A heating process applied to quartz or glass components to reduce stress and improve durability.
Arc Length
The length of the plasma arc in a UV lamp. Lamp Express USA Inc. supplies lamps in many arc lengths to match curing system widths.
Arc Tube
The inner quartz tube where the plasma arc forms.
Atmospheric Curing
UV curing done in normal air. Oxygen can inhibit surface cure; inert curing avoids this.
Ballast Factor
The ratio of lamp light output to its rated capacity under a given ballast.
Capacitor
Stores and releases energy to stabilize the electrical supply for UV lamps.
Catalyst
A substance that accelerates chemical reactions. In curing, photo-initiators act as catalysts under UV.
Cathode
The negatively charged electrode in a UV lamp.
Chamber
The housing around a UV lamp that contains reflectors, cooling systems, and safety shielding.
Chromatic Aberration
Light distortion when wavelengths focus differently. Controlled in UV optical systems.
Closed System
A curing chamber where the lamp, reflector, and substrate are enclosed for efficiency and safety.
Cold Mirror
A dichroic reflector that transmits IR (heat) while reflecting UV, protecting substrates.
Color Shift
A change in coating or ink color if under- or over-cured.
Conformal Coating
A protective dielectric layer applied to PCBs, often cured with UV to shield electronics from dust, chemicals, and moisture.
Cure Depth
How far UV light penetrates into a coating or adhesive. Stronger lamps from Lamp Express USA Inc. can increase cure depth.
Cure Dose (Energy)
The total UV energy delivered to a surface, measured in mJ/cm².
Cure Speed
The line speed (m/min) at which coatings cure under UV.
Devitrification
When quartz in a UV lamp becomes crystalline, reducing UV transmission. Prevented by proper handling and cleaning.
Dichroic
Describes optical coatings that selectively transmit or reflect light.
Dielectric
An insulator that can be polarized by an electric field.
Dielectric Strength
The maximum voltage a dielectric can withstand without breakdown.
Discharge Tube / UV Lamp
The lamp body containing electrodes, gases, and additives that generate UV light when powered.
Doped Lamp (Metal Halide Lamp)
Lamps doped with metals like gallium or iron to optimize output for specific inks and coatings.
Duty Cycle
The proportion of time a lamp is on compared to off.
Electric Arc
A flow of current through ionized gas, forming plasma and UV emission.
Electric Field
The field created by electric charges. In lamps, it ionizes the starting gas.
Electrical Ballast / Choke / Transformer
Controls current flow, prevents overloads, and helps ignite UV lamps.
Electrodes
Conductors inside lamps that sustain the plasma arc.
Electromagnetic Spectrum
The range of all radiation, from radio to gamma. UV falls between visible light and X-rays.
Elemental Mercury
Liquid mercury inside UV lamps that produces strong UV radiation. Lamp Express USA Inc. handles mercury responsibly under WEEE guidelines.
Encapsulation
Protecting lamp electrodes with quartz or ceramic seals to extend lamp life.
End-of-Life (EOL)
The stage when a lamp no longer produces enough UV for effective curing.
Emission Spectrum
The wavelengths emitted by a UV lamp, tuned for different curing needs.
Excimer Lamp
Mercury-free lamps that emit monochromatic UV. Used for low-temperature curing and surface modification.
Exposure Dose
The product of irradiance and exposure time that determines curing effectiveness.
Flood Lamp
A lamp designed to illuminate wide surfaces for UV curing or inspection.
Flux
The flow of radiant energy through a surface.
Germicidal UV
UVC wavelengths used to disinfect water, air, and surfaces.
Ground State
The lowest energy level of an electron. UV emission occurs when excited electrons return to this state.
Halogens
Elements like bromine or iodine used in metal halide lamps for spectral tuning.
Hot Mirror
A reflector that reflects IR (heat) while transmitting UV or visible light.
Ignitor
Provides the high-voltage pulse that starts the plasma arc in a lamp.
Ignition Voltage
The voltage required to start a UV lamp.
Inert Atmosphere Curing
Curing under nitrogen to prevent oxygen inhibition.
Infrared (IR)
Wavelengths longer than visible light. Often managed in UV systems with dichroic reflectors.
Index of Refraction
How much light bends entering a material. Important in lamp quartz design.
Irradiance (Intensity)
The power per unit area delivered by UV light, measured in mW/cm².
Isopropyl Alcohol
Used to clean lamp quartz, reflectors, and tubes to prevent contamination.
Lamp Cooling
Air or water systems that maintain proper lamp operating temperatures.
Lamp Life
The useful hours a lamp produces enough UV for curing. Lamp Express USA Inc. supplies lamps engineered for long service life.
Mercury Arc Lamp
Common UV lamp type using mercury vapor plasma.
Metal Halide
Compounds of metals and halogens that change a lamp’s spectrum.
Methylmercury
An organic mercury compound formed in water. Highlights the need for safe lamp disposal.
Molybdenum
A conductive metal used in lamp seals and electrodes.
Nanometre (nm)
A unit equal to one-billionth of a meter, used to measure UV wavelengths.
Noble Gases
Inert gases like argon and xenon used as starting gases in lamps.
Ozone-Free UV Lamps
Special lamps made with quartz that blocks ozone-generating wavelengths. Lamp Express USA Inc. provides ozone-free lamps for safe indoor curing.
Oxygen Inhibition
When oxygen prevents full surface cure. Controlled with higher UV dose or inert curing.
Photo-Initiator
A chemical that starts curing when exposed to UV light.
Photochemotherapy (PUVA)
Combining psoralen with UVA light for medical treatment.
Photopolymerisation
The chemical reaction where UV links monomers into polymers, curing coatings.
Phototherapy
Medical use of UV light for skin or mood conditions.
Plasma
An ionized gas where UV light is generated inside a lamp.
Power Supply
Electronic or magnetic device that regulates lamp current and ignition.
Protective Quartz Sleeve
A transparent quartz tube surrounding some lamps to protect against contamination or breakage.
PUVA
Psoralen + UVA therapy used in dermatology.
Quartz
High-purity silica material used in lamp envelopes for excellent UV transmission.
Radiometer
A device that measures lamp output and curing dose.
Reflector
A mirrored surface that directs UV energy onto the substrate. Reflectors provide up to 70% of usable UV.
Safety Glasses (UV)
Eyewear designed to block harmful UV exposure during lamp operation.
Shutter System
Mechanism that opens or closes to control UV exposure.
Spectral Enhancement
Adjusting lamp output by doping with additives.
Spectral Output
The specific wavelengths emitted by a lamp.
Starter Gas
Gas like argon used to initiate ionization in UV lamps.
Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC)
A lab method using UV to analyze mixtures.
Transformer
Adjusts voltage for lamp ignition and stable operation.
UVA
Longwave UV (400–315 nm). Used in printing and curing.
UVB
Midwave UV (315–280 nm). Used for clear coatings and medical treatments.
UVC
Shortwave UV (280–100 nm). Used for sterilization.
UV Coating
Protective surface layer cured by UV for durability and gloss.
UV Curing
The process of using UV light to instantly cure inks, coatings, and adhesives.
Wavelength
The measured length of light waves, usually in nm.