Vacuum-ultraviolet excilamps with excitation by a barrier corona discharge

Abstract

This paper presents the results of studies of excilamps with excitation by a barrier corona discharge, which is characterized by inhomogeneous broadening of the electric field between the electrodes, one of which is covered by a dielectric. It is established that the radiation efficiency from inert-gas dimers under these excitation conditions reaches 45% at 172 nm and 25% at 146 nm. These studies were used as a basis for creating a radiator complex consisting of sealed xenon-dimer excilamps with a radiation power of up to 120 W, and a wide-aperture compact excilamp with argon pumped through the discharge volume. The radiation power density of the compact excilamp reached 10 mW/cm 2 in the windowless regime.