Electrode for metal halide lamp with ceramic discharge vessel

1. A metal halide lamp comprising:

a ceramic discharge vessel defining an enclosed interior volume, the discharge vessel having at least one end defining a hole extending to the enclosed interior volume, and

an electrically conductive leadthrough being passed through the defined hole in the at least one end,

an electrode with a shank being secured to the leadthrough, which electrode projects into the interior volume of the discharge vessel, with the leadthrough and electrode together being referred to as the electrode system,

wherein the leadthrough comprises two axially sequential portions, the first portion being an axially extending pin, being relatively closer to the interior volume, and the second portion being relatively farther from the interior volume, the first portion extending in the defined hole, and the second section having at least one axially transverse dimension greater than a corresponding axially transverse dimension of the defined hole so as block insertion of the second section into the defined hole.

2. The metal halide lamp as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the leadthrough consists of one material in single-part form.

3. The metal halide lamp as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the material predominantly comprises molybdenum.

4. The metal halide lamp as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first portion predominantly comprising cermet or molybdenum, while the second portion includes niobium or niobium-like material.

5. A process for producing a ceramic discharge vessel, comprising the following steps:

a) providing a discharge vessel which has an open capillary;

b) providing an electrode system which has a leadthrough comprising two portions of different diameters, the portion which lies on the inside with respect to the discharge having an external diameter which is at least 10 μm smaller than the diameter of the hole, and the portion which lies on the outside having a diameter which is at least 5 μm larger than the diameter of the hole;

c) either pushing a ring of soldering glass onto the narrower portion of the electrode system, in which case the wider portion serves as a stop; or placing a soldering-glass ring directly onto the upper end face of the capillary;

d) introducing the electrode system into the capillary hole, with the soldering-glass ring resting on the end face of the capillary;

e) heating the soldering-glass ring, so that some of the soldering glass runs into the capillary, thereby effecting sealing.