A study of VUV fluorescence and lasing in electron beam excited xenon

An experimental and theoretical study of VUV radiation in electron-beam excited xenon was undertaken. Fluorescence was observed with efficiencies approaching 50 percent for pressures above 1 atm and modest cell currents (≤ 5 A/cm
²
). Lasing was also observed at pressures ≥ 2 atm but the presence of premature laser pulse termination reduced efficiencies to < 1 percent. Several possible causes of this premature pulse termination were investigated.