Neon: A Mercury-Free, Multi-Colored Light Source

The automotive industry, in recent years, has been seeking alternative methods for providing braking, turning, and parking lights on automobiles. Presently, tungsten is being used, but with its problems of slow response time, short life, and styling limitations alternative light sources are being researched. This paper will address the role that neon can play as a multi-colored light source and its pertinence to automotive lighting. The paper is targeted at technical advances in mercury-free, low pressure, novel rare gas lighting and the use of neon discharges as potential efficient red and amber light sources.