New xenon excimer lamps excited by quasi-CW jet discharges

New xenon excimer lamps in vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) have been developed in quasi-CW jet discharges. Quantitative characteristics of xenon clusters produced with two different kinds of nozzles were studied to verify the xenon excimer formation mechanisms in jet discharges. Experimental results strongly indicate the xenon excimer emission at 174 mn as a result of the direct excitation of the xenon clusters. Output powers and pulse widths of the lamps were thus controlled by changing cluster formation parameters. The maximum output power of 1.5 W with an efficiency of 3.0% was obtained at 174 nm when the conical nozzle was used. The VUV emission lasted 5 ms (FWHM).<
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