Soon, a light bulb that is mercury free and much more luminous

Washington, Jan 25 (ANI): Researchers at a company in the US are developing a light bulb that would be eco-friendly as it is mercury free, and is much more luminous than other bulbs.

According to a report by ENN (Environmental News Network), the ultra energy-efficient flood light has been developed by Seattle startup Vu1 Corporation.

The company has named its technology Electron Stimulated Luminescence (ESL).

It is reminiscent of the way old TV tubes worked, with the only difference being that the light bulb lights a room much better.

The light bulb is comprised of an integrated electron source which fires electrons attached to a phosphor-coated glass.

The phosphor, upon contact, transforms the signals into bright light.

The product that emerged from this three-way process is a 17-watt bulb for recessed light cans; the type of lights you use in kitchens and living rooms.

ESL's major attraction is that it is mercury-free and hugely energy conserving.

The bulb is unique on the American market and emits 40 lumens per watt, hich is the equivalent of a 65-watt incandescent bulb.

Vu1 said that its product will hit the stores on Earth Day 2009 and the price tag would be about same as a 65-watt dimmable incandescent lamp and lower than the price of indoor Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs, which are in the range of 80 dollars to 140 dollars.

The fitting of Vu1's bulb is the same as those of ordinary light bulbs.

Another amazing feature of this new light bulb is its life span. One bulb lasts an estimated 6,000 hours, which is much longer than an incandescent and slightly less than the more expensive Compact Florescent Light Bulb (CFL). (ANI)