Izibane zeNeon, igama elivakala njengembongo, ngokwenene ziyimithombo yokukhanya ekhupha ukukhanya kusetyenziswa iigesi ezingenayo. Eyona ixhaphakileyo yi-neon (Ne), apho ivela khona igama layo, kodwa izibane ze-neon zinokwenziwa ngeegesi ezininzi ezahlukeneyo ze-inert.
Imbali yezibane ze-neon isukela ekupheleni kwenkulungwane ye-19, eyaqanjwa ngusokhemisti waseFransi uGeorges Claude. Ekuqaleni, zazisetyenziswa ngokubanzi kwiibhodi zentengiso kunye neendawo zasedolophini kuba zinokubonisa isicatshulwa kunye nemizobo enokukhanya okuphezulu kakhulu kunye nemibala eqaqambileyo. Namhlanje, izibane ze-neon azikho nje ubugcisa obubalulekileyo kunye noyilo kodwa zikwasetyenziswa kwiimeko ezahlukeneyo, ezifana nemidlalo yeqonga, imihombiso, kunye neentengiso zorhwebo.
Ke, kutheni izibane ze-neon zikhupha imibala eyahlukileyo yokukhanya? Oku kungenxa yokuba banokusebenzisa iintlobo ezahlukeneyo zeegesi ze-inert kunye neengubo ze-fluorescent. Xa umsinga wombane udlula kwigesi ekukhanyeni kwe-neon, iimolekyuli zegesi ziyavuya, zivelisa i-fluorescence. Iigesi ezahlukeneyo zivelisa imibala eyahlukileyo. Umzekelo, i-neon (Ne) ikhupha ukukhanya okubomvu, i-argon (Ar) ikhupha ukukhanya okuluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka, i-helium (He) ikhupha ukukhanya okutyheli, kunye nomxube we-argon kunye neon ukhupha ukukhanya kwe-orenji. Ngaphaya koko, izibane ze-neon zinokuvelisa imibala eyahlukileyo ngokusebenzisa iintlobo ezahlukeneyo zokwaleka kwe-fluorescent. Ingubo ye-fluorescent isetyenziswe ngokuqhelekileyo kudonga lwangaphakathi okanye igobolondo langaphandle lokukhanya kwe-neon; xa ukukhanya kudlula kwi-coating, ibonakaliswe kwaye isasazeke, ngaloo ndlela ibonisa imibala eyahlukileyo.
Ke ngoko, izibane ze-neon zinokufikelela kwimibala eyahlukeneyo ngokukhetha iigesi ezahlukeneyo kunye neengubo ze-fluorescent, yiyo loo nto izibane ze-neon zikhupha imibala eyahlukeneyo. Nokuba isetyenziselwa ukukhanyisa kwendawo, izibane zokuhombisa, okanye izipho ezilungiselelwe wena, izibane ze-neon zingumthombo wokukhanya onomdla kakhulu kwaye ohlukeneyo.
