Ceramic metal-halide lamp

[8] The discharge is contained in a ceramic tube, usually made of sintered alumina, similar to that used in the high pressure sodium lamp.

The ceramic tube is filled with mercury, argon and metal-halide salts (for example, sodium iodide).

The exact correlated color temperature and CRI depend on the specific mixture of metal halide salts.

During operation, at high temperature and radiant flux, metal ions tend to penetrate the silica, depleting the inside of the tube.

Like other high-intensity discharge lamps, they require a correctly rated electrical ballast in order to operate.