若仅使水银同位素196的浓度从它自然存在率0.146%提高到约3%,作为荧光灯照光源的水银—稀有气体混合系的放电效率就可提高约5%,这项研究是由美国GTE照明器具公司技术人员进行的。由于该项技术的实用化,预定美国一年可节约电能的费用达2亿美元以上。荧光照的照明原理是利用低压条件下水银一稀有气体混合系发生弱的离子化等离子体的现象。亦即电能以55-65%的效率转换成水银共振幅射能(波长为253.17纳米),接着由荧光体将这种紫外线辐射能转换成可视光 The discharge efficiency of a mercury-noble gas mixture as a fluorescent lamp light source can be increased by about 5% if only the mercury isotope 196 concentration is increased from its natural presence of 0.146% to about 3%. This study was conducted by the U.S. GTE Lighting Appliance company technicians. Due to the practical application of this technology, it is estimated that the United States can save more than 200 million U.S. dollars of electricity a year. Fluorescent illumination is based on the principle of using low-pressure mercury-based rare gas mixture weak ionization plasma phenomenon. That is, the electric energy is converted into mercury resonance radiation energy (wavelength of 253.17 nm) with the efficiency of 55-65%, and then the fluorescent material converts the ultraviolet radiation energy into visible light