The basic technology used in the operation of Indiglo watches is called electroluminescence. Electrofluorescence is a technology that directly converts electricity into light.
This is completely different from how a light bulb works. In a light bulb, electricity creates heat, and heat creates light. Electrofluorescence is more efficient because it directly converts electricity into light.
Application The most common example of electrofluorescence is the neon lamp, which we can often see. In a neon lamp, high voltage excites electrons in neon atoms, which transition and emit photons.
In the Indiglo watch, there is a very thin panel that uses high voltage to excite phosphor atoms, thereby producing light. The panel itself is very simple, as described in the Timex patent: take a thin layer of glass or plastic, apply a clean conductor, apply a thin layer of phosphor, apply a thin layer of plastic over the phosphor, Then add another electrode. In fact, the resulting two conductors (capacitors) have fluorescent substances between them. When 100 to 200 volts of alternating current (alternating current) is applied to the conductor, the fluorescent material is excited and begins to emit photons.
Generating high voltage in a watch is problematic. The watch only has a tiny 1.5 volt battery. To generate voltages of 100 to 200 volts, a 1:100 transformer is used. By changing the primary coil of the transformer through a switchable transistor, the secondary coil voltage can be increased to about 150 volts