A dielectric barrier Xe discharge lamp producing vacuum-ultraviolet radiation with high efficiency was investigated theoretically and experimentally. The cylindrical glass body of the lamp is equipped with thin strips of metal electrodes applied to diametrically opposite sides of the outer surface. We performed a simulation of discharge plasma properties based on one-dimensional fluid dynamics and also assessed the lamp characteristics experimentally. Simulation and experimental results are analysed and compared in terms of voltage and current characteristics, power input and discharge efficiency. Using the proposed lamp geometry and fast rise-time short square pulses of the driving voltage, an intrinsic discharge efficiency around 56% was predicted by simulation, and more than 60 lm W−1 lamp efficacy (for radiation converted into visible green light by phosphor coating) was demonstrated experimentally.

Operation of a Xe dielectric barrier discharge lamp producing 147–172 nm VUV radiation is investigated both theoretically and experimentally. Xe gas pressure varies between 100 and 300 mbar, and the glass body of the lamp is coated with LAP (green) phosphor to convert radiation into the visible part of the spectrum. Simulation results predict improved discharge efficiencies reaching 67% when excited by a fast rise-time, short pulse (∼200 ns) driving waveform. In this case most power deposited into the plasma efficiently produces excimers, while other energy dissipation processes (ion heating, e–Xe elastic collision) are kept at a low rate. Simulation and experimental results are compared in terms of discharge efficacy and show good agreement. A lamp efficacy value as high as 80 lm W−1 is demonstrated experimentally.

The application of a high frequency (∼2.5 MHz) burst (amplitude-modulated sinusoidal) excitation voltage waveform is investigated for driving a fluorescent dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) light source. The excitation waveform presents a novel method for generating spatially stable homogeneous Xe DBD possessing a high conversion efficiency from electrical energy to VUV excimer radiation (∼172 nm), even at a significantly higher electrical energy deposition than realized by pulsed excitation. Simulation and experimental results predict discharge efficiencies around 60%. Lamp efficacy above 74 lm W−1 has been achieved. VUV emission and loss mechanisms are investigated extensively and the performance of burst and pulsed waveforms is compared both theoretically and experimentally.

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A detailed one-dimensional fluid dynamical simulation 1 has been used to model the dynamical properties of a homogeneous xenon dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma excited by fast rise-time, short pulse width (200ns -1μs) electrical driving waveform. Electrical characteristics, power deposition classified by the type of energy utilization: excitation, ionization, energy dissipation processes and spectrally-resolved emission of radiation ranging from VUV to low IR are calculated. Simulation results are used to optimize the experimentally obtained electrical to VUV conversion efficiencies in a cylindrical DBD lamp filled with xenon gas at pressures between 100 mbar and 300 mbar. The body of the lamp is coated with LAP (green) phosphor to convert radiation into the visible part of the spectrum. We analyze the influence of the driving waveform parameters, pressures, dielectric properties, etc. on the discharge efficiencies. Simulation and experimental results are compared in terms lamp efficacies and show good agreement. Intrinsic discharge efficiency around 67% is reached by simulation, and more than 80 lm/W lamp efficacy is demonstrated experimentally.