Spectral and electrical characteristics of a low pressure dc discharge formed from a mixture of one of the rare gases Ne, Ar or Kr plus water vapour are studied. Water vapour is only a minor additive to the rare gas. It has been shown that enhanced emission of the OH 306.4 nm band is registered from the discharge of Ar mixed with water vapour. Plasmas from the other investigated rare gases yielded considerably less OH 306.4 nm emission. Data about consumed electric power, spectra and relative efficiencies are presented.

The electric field strength, electrode fall voltage, light emission characteristics and efficiency of a (Ar + H2O) dc discharge as functions of water vapour content, argon pressure and electric current are presented. The data show that the main processes of 306.4 nm OH band generation are (1) a collision between an excited argon atom and a water molecule with simultaneous excitation of OH into the A 2Σ+ state and (2) electron excitation of a ground state hydroxyl molecule produced by a quenching process from a water molecule. Electric field strength measurements make it possible to conclude that the light production efficiency of the plasma under study can reach 35 lm W−1. It is possible, with these data, to propose a model of the plasma in question having reasonable accordance with the experiment and show the way to further increase the efficiency.

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Methods to increase the efficiency of a rare gas–water vapour plasma as a light source are presented: (1) the addition of a second rare gas (2) the use of titanium dioxide to enhance the decomposition of water molecules into hydroxyl and hydrogen; (3) pulse discharge operation to improve the efficiency. Analysis shows that the first two methods can yield an increase in efficiency. Use of the catalyst produced a tangible impact on plasma properties and an increase in efficiency that was experimentally observed and agrees with theoretical estimates. In pulse discharge operation, negative ions that are probably created in the afterglow phase eliminate the desired effect. The data obtained using these three approaches, point towards possible directions for further investigation and predict the expected results in case of successful implementation.