These figures were carefully irradiated and then discharged on an edge or in the interior to create beautifully shaped discharge regions. Some figures may have "self discharged" - in this case chaotic or exceptionally "bushy" dendritic figures are created such as the center figure below, and sometimes part of the figure will be bushy while the rest is chaotic (Mixed" discharge). Specimens with interior discharges may not have the "root" located in the center. Although the fractal patterns vary significantly from piece to piece, every Lichtenberg Figure comes with a money back guarantee for your satisfaction. For best display results, specimens should be placed on top of a black background (felt or velvet) or edge-illuminated by a bright light source (such as white or colored LED's). We suggest using the DK40x75W (white) or DK40x75B (electric blue) walnut light base for best results.

Return to Gallery 1

(Click above for larger image)	(Click above for larger image)	(Click above for larger image)
Edge Dendritic Tree (lighter density discharge shown) We suggest illuminating with a custom walnut light base such as our DK40x75W (with white LED's) or DK40x75B (with "electric blue" LED's).	Interior Bushy Discharge   We suggest illuminating with a custom walnut light base such as  DK40x75W (with white LED's) or  DK40x75B (with "electric blue" LED's). Discharge point may not be in the center of the specimen.	Interior Dendritic Discharge Note: Very few in stock We suggest illuminating with a custom walnut light base such as  DK40x75W (with white LED's) or  DK40x75B (with "electric blue" LED's). Discharge point may not be in the center of the specimen.
(Click above for larger image) (Click above for larger image)	Photo: Theodore Gray (Click above for larger image) Photo: Theodore Gray, taken during our 6/11/04 production run	Some notes on how we make these... When acrylic is irradiated by an electron beam, its color is often temporarily changed to an amber or greenish tint. High speed electrons in the beam partially penetrate the acrylic, becoming stranded inside. The trapped electrical charge is invisible until released by creating an imperfection in the surface of the specimen. The trapped electrons then suddenly rush out with a brilliant flash and a loud bang. The highly energetic discharge creates heat and gases, forming permanent microscopic fractures and tubular channels within the acrylic. The result is a permanent "fossil" of the lightning-like pathways - a "Captured Lightning" sculpture. The fractal patterns are similar to the discharges that occur within a cloud during a lightning storm. The discharge to the left was taken through a neutral density filter in order to prevent the brilliant discharge from overloading the camera's image sensor. Go HERE to get more information on how our unique Lichtenberg Figures are created.
Edge Trees in DK40x75W or DK40x75B Custom Walnut Light Bases (With lighter and heavier density discharges shown) Our walnut white LED light base (DK40x75W) is recommended for brighter ambient lighting environments. Use our "electric blue" LED's (DK40x75B) to make the discharges appear more "spark like". Blue is better suited to more subdued lighting environments. A velvet-lined cavity is designed to securely hold your specimen in the natural matte-finished walnut base. Our standard adapter is made for US power, but we also can provide adapters for UK,  EC , and AU power at no extra charge.  These can be ordered from the Style 5 section of our Gallery 1 web page.	A new Lichtenberg Figure is born! Using a particle accelerator, we inject a huge number of electrons into a polished specimen of clear acrylic, temporarily stranding the electrons deep inside the insulating material. Prior to discharge, the estimated voltage on the internal charge plane within this 4" specimen was about two million volts. The trapped charge was suddenly released (within about 100 billionths of a second) by carefully poking the edge with a grounded conductor. This created a defect in the acrylic, allowing the trapped charge to escape in a brilliant, lightning-like electrical discharge.