Lighting system of encapsulated luminous material

A lighting system, comprising:

• a light-emitting material comprising an electrically insulating optical material having a plurality of enclosed capsules of an optical material;
• a luminous composition being contained within said capsules, said capsules being embedded within the optical material of said light-emitting material;
• and,
• at least one structure for passing RF radiation through at least a portion of said capsules in said light-emitting material, whereby said luminous composition in said capsules will emit light through said optical material.

A method of making a lighting system, comprising the steps of:

• providing an electrically insulating optical material in the liquid state;
• entraining in said optical material bubbles of luminous gas at a pressure between about 1 torr and 20 torr;
• solidifying the optical material to seal the luminous gas in the material, and forming a light-emitting material;
• and
• affixing electrodes to the light-emitting material to permit the passage of RF radiation through at least a portion of the bubbles, whereby the luminous gas will be ionized and will emit light through said light-emitting material.

A method of making a lighting system, comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of enclosed capsules of an optical material, said capsules containing a luminous composition;
• embedding said capsules in an optical material that is in the liquid state;
• solidifying the optical material to seal the capsules containing the luminous composition within the solidified optical material, forming a light-emitting material;
• and
• affixing electrodes to the light-emitting material to permit the passage of RF radiation through at least a portion of the capsules, whereby the luminous composition will be ionized and will emit light through said light-emitting material.