Quartz lamp envelope with molybdenum foil having oxidation-resistant surface formed by ion implantation

A lamp assembly comprising:

• a quartz lamp envelope that encloses a sealed lamp interior, said lamp envelope including a press seal;
• and
• at least one treated conductive foil electrical feedthrough extending through said press seal to said lamp interior, said treated conductive foil having an oxidation-inhibiting material embedded in a surface layer thereof by means of an ion implantation process, the thickness of said treated molybdenum foil being no greater than the thickness of said molybdenum foil before being so treated.

A method of making a lamp assembly comprising the steps of:

• ion implanting an oxidation-inhibiting material into a surface layer of a molybdenum foil strip;
• and
• sealing the molybdenum foil strip into a press seal of a quartz lamp envelope to form an electrical feedthrough to a sealed lamp interior.