How do electrons travel in a coiled compact fluorescent lamp?

[kimau79]

Fluorescent tube lamp (FTL), in very simple words, produces light from excitation of atoms due to bombardments of electrons. A compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) is a coiled-shaped version of FTL.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/06_Spiral_CFL_Bulb_2010-03-08_(white_back).jpg

My question is, since CFL is coiled, how do electrons travel from one end to the other end? I mean, FTL is straight so there is no problem for electrons to travel in a straight line from one end to the other end, but how is that achieved in a CFL? Do the electric field in a CFL also automatically bend around the corner, so that electrons would bend and thus can travel from one end to the other end? How is that achieved in that case?

Thank you in advance.

 

[Alkim]

These lamps contain a gas mixture under low pressure. Initially applying a strong electric field it is ionized in an avalanche-like process and afterwards ions conduct current in a similar fashion as liquid electrolytes.