Color range

Neon can satisfy every expressive need, even in terms of color. In fact, the lighting systems designed, manufactured and marketed by the Company can meet every expectation: giving color to shape, or shape to color, depending on the requirements and perspectives of the project.

The color temperature available ranges from the warmest shades - 1,900 Kelvin degrees - to the absolute coolest ones - 10,000 Kelvin degrees -, with the possibility to choose from 13 different types of whites. The phosphors used belong to the "Rare Earth"​ class, featuring a very high chromatic yield because of their  C.R.I. (Color Rending Index) up to 97: such index allows us to faithfully reproduce colors on a lighting element.

The length of the lamps may vary from 30cm to 3m, with diameters from 6mm to 25mm. Finally, it is important to remember that lamps with such features of color temperatures and ranges can be supplied by electromechanical transformers that operate at a low or high voltage, but also by high frequency electronic converters when the installation spaces are particularly tight. 

The reason for the colour of cold cathode lamp is one among the following factors or their combination:

- glass-coloured tubes
- fluorescent powder
- noble gas

In a bit more detail, noble gases are natural elements in the atmosphere and belong to the eighteenth group of periodic table. Such gases present in a monoatomic form with a complete electronic shell.

This group includes in order of atomic number: helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), xenon (Xe) and radon (Rn). Only the first five are employed in the technology of cold cathode. The sixth is instead a rare radioactive element.

The name born in the late 1800s derives from Edelgas, a German term which indicated their chemical inertness like that of nobles metals i.e. that less reactive.

In nature these gases are colourless but if they are subjected to suitable electric shocks they show an interesting emission spectrum whose colour depends on different factors (density of the electricity, temperature, gas purity, presence of fluorescent powders, wrapping materials etc.).

The noble gases are not harmful to health and they have no biological role. By the way, they are odourless, tasteless and non-flammable.
The radon and certain fluorinated compounds or oxides can be dangerous but these gases are absolutely not used to produce cold cathode lamp.
Neon fans can keep absolutely quiet also because these gases are also used in other fields exactly where inert atmospheres are required (respirators for deep dives, research laboratories, etc.)

Analysing noble gases in detail:

• Helium (He): it has a very simple structure, it is lighter than the noble gases, it takes its name from greek god of the sun (Helios) and discovered in 1868.
  Spectral emission: pink with a little peak in the UV.
  Helium is the second most abundant element in the universe after hydrogen (H). In the Earth’s crust it is instead at the 71° level.

• Neon (Ne): the most famous for the production of neon signs thanks to its high brightness. The name derives from greek (Neos) that is “new gas” (read here its history).
  Spectral emission: read-orange with UV almost absent.
  Neon is the fifth most abundant element in the universe, in the Earth it is at the 82° level. On equal voltage and electricity, it has the most intense discharge in the whole group.

• Argon (Ar): really used in the insignias and bright lamps instead of neon. The name derives from greek “argos” “lazy, inert” and it was discovered in 1894.
  Spectral emission: red, but if it is mixed with other elements, the emission the blue (main event).
  Argon is the 3^rd most abundant noble gas in the Earth’s crust.

• Krypton (Kr): the name derives from greek kryptos that is “hidden”, discovered in 1898.
  Spectral emission: the summit is but it appears to us as pink-white. Low UV but enough for provoking green fluorescent dusts.
  It is at the 83° level for abundance in the Earth’s crost. It is present in the traces in the atmosphere.

• Xeno (Xe): the name derives from greek “xènos –e -on” that is “stranger” due to its extremely rare presence in the atmosphere (0.0000008%). It was discovered 1898.
  Spectral emission: white-blue. Strong UV emission and in combination with fluorescent powders it leads to a wide range of colours.
  It is being used also for camera flashes, car lights and bactericidal lamps.