The influence of vibrational excitation on the burning voltage of a pulsed electric discharge in HF laser working media

The burning voltages of an intermediate pressure self-sustained volume discharge (SSVD) in SF₆ and SF₆-C₂H₆ mixtures irradiated by a 10.6 μm pulse TEA CO₂ laser, have been measured on varying the laser fluences over a wide range. The delay between the voltage application and the laser pulse onset is 4 μs, and the laser pulse lasts ∼3 μs. The considerable rise observed in the discharge voltages with increasing absorbed specific laser radiation energy, is due to electron attachment to vibrationally excited molecules of SF₆. Different processes of relaxation of the vibrational energy stored in SF₆ molecules are analyzed and the relevant characteristic times are numerically assessed. The gas heating process owing to vibration-translation energy exchange is qualitatively described in terms of the “thermal explosion”. The relation between the “explosion” and delay times determines the peculiarities of electron attachment to vibrationally excited SF₆ molecules. The burning voltages of a submicrosecond non-irradiated SSVD in the above-mentioned media versus the specific electric energy deposited are also measured. They are compared to those of a laser-illuminated SSVD at commensurable specific laser energy depositions. It is concluded that electron attachment to the discharge-produced vibrationally excited SF₆ molecules is not capable of noticeably affecting the discharge voltages of a submicrosecond non-irradiated SSVD. PACS 42.55 Ks; 52.80     

Abnormal polarity effect in nanosecond-pulse breakdown of SF6 and nitrogen

The breakdown of gas gaps in an inhomogeneous electric field at subnanosecond and nanosecond voltage pulse rise times are studied, and the famous polarity effect in point-to-plane gaps is investigated. It is shown that at a voltage pulse rise time of ∼0.5 ns, the inversion of polarity effect takes place not only in electronegative gases such as SF₆, but also occurs in electropositive nitrogen. The inversion of polarity effect is related to a delay of electron emission from the plane cathode on arrival of the ionization wave front anode to the cathode. It is found that with a voltage pulse rise time of ∼0.5 ns, the inversion of polarity effect occurs at SF₆ and SF₆–N₂ pressures of 0.25 MPa and lower, and with a voltage pulse rise time of 15 ns, at a SF₆ pressure lower than 0.12 MPa.     

Characteristics of a Glow Discharge in a Krypton/Elegas/Air Mixture

The longitudinal glow discharge in the Kr/SF₆/air mixture at a pressure of P = 0.7–6.0 kPa has been investigated. The electric characteristics and plasma radiation in the spectral region 150–340 nm are studied. The optimization of the radiation brightness (power) at = 249 nm in the KrF(B–X) mixture and in the nitrogen bands is carried out depending on the workingmedium composition and current magnitude. It is shown that a d.c. discharge in the Kr/SF₆/(N₂:O₂) mixture can be used in the multiwave UV–VUV radiation source on a system of the KrF and N₂ molecular bands.     

Comparison of the first negative corona current pulses in N2 + SF6 and CO2 + SF6 mixtures

The current waveforms of the first negative corona pulses in a small point-to-plane gap have been measured with a nanosecond time resolution in N₂ + SF₆ and CO₂ + SF₆ mixtures at a pressure 50 kPa for various contents of SF₆ as a function of applied gap voltages. The physical mechanism for the pulses in these mixtures with low concentration of SF₆ has been described using the streamer-based theory. The influence of changing admixtures of SF₆ in N₂ and CO₂ has been compared. Differences in the pulse waveforms observed in N₂- and CO₂-based gas mixtures are explained by differences in the first and second Townsend ionization coefficients. This work was supported by the Grant Agency VEGA from the Ministry of Education of Slovak Republic under contracts 1/1011/04 and 1/2017/05.     

A KrF fast discharge laser in mixtures containing NF3, N2F4 or SF6

A fast discharge KrF laser system (λ = 248.5 nm) has been operated at 25 mJ/pulse, 3.0 MW peak power in high pressure He: Kr: fluoride mixtures containing low concentrations of both krypton and the fluorine donors N₂F₄, NF₃ and SF₆. Lasing action is reported for the first time in N₂F₄ and SF₆ with optimum energy output at 750 and 160 mJ/l respectively.     

Transverse discharge with prebreakdown ionization multiplication of electrons in the working media of N2- and HF-lasers

Results of an investigation of the characteristics of a transverse discharge with prebreakdown ionization multiplication of electrons in the working media of N₂(C-B)-and SF₆/H₂ chemical HF-lasers are reported. The conditions of initiation of a stable volume discharge in the discharge gap with low homogeneity of the electrical-field distribution are investigated. A quasisteady plasma based on N₂ molecules with a radiation duration of ≤0.5 μsec at transitions of the 2⁺-system and a homogeneous discharge in a SF₆/H₂=(3–7)/(1–2) kPa mixture, which is of interest for preionization of the working medium of an HF-laser by the predischarge method, are obtained. Uzhgorod State University, 46, Pidgirna Str., Uzhgorod, 294000, Ukraine. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 66, No. 3, pp. 412–415, May–June, 1999.     

Laser on nitrogen-electronegative gas mixtures, pumped by inductive energy storage generator: Experiment and theoretical model

The advantages of inductive energy storage (IES) generators for increasing the pulse energy, power, and duration for nitrogen laser pumped by self-sustained transverse discharge have been experimentally demonstrated. A theoretical model is developed and the operation of IES-pumped laser on nitrogen-electronegative gas mixtures is numerically simulated. It is shown experimentally and theoretically that, adding electronegative gases, one can control the pulse shape of lasing on the C³II _u -B³II _g transition in nitrogen. The increase in the electric field strength in the laser gap in N₂-NF₃ and N₂-SF₆ mixtures produced 337.1-nm laser pulses consisting of two spaced peaks and 40–50-ns pulses close to rectangular. The increase in the laser active volume to 6 l (discharge cross section to 6×10 cm²) in N₂–SF₆ mixtures made it possible to obtain the maximum output energy (Q=110 mJ) and UV power (P _las =6 MW). In N₂-NF₃ mixtures, the laser pulse duration was up to ∼100 ns with an energy up to Q=30 mJ.     

The impulse dielectric behavior of N2 gas in sphere-plane gap

The focus of this work has been on the pre-breakdown phenomena and the breakdown characteristics of N₂ gas in a sphere-plane gap under various impulse voltages. Both electrical and optical experimental investigation methods were used. Following parameters were considered: gas pressure range from 0.2 to 0.6 MPa, electric field utilization factor of the electrode configuration 71%, positive and negative impulse waveforms with the rise time of 500 ns, 1.2 μs and 180 μs. The observed discharge processes before the breakdown through the light emission images by the ICCD camera are in good agreement with the streamer mechanism. Under both polarity stresses, discharges are initially concentrated around the tip of the sphere and later pointing towards the earth electrode. However, negative streamers are thinner and more diffuse. As expected, the breakdown voltages for negative polarity are lower than those for positive polarity regardless of the gas pressure and shape of the applied impulse voltage. The breakdown voltage is increased with shortening the rise time of pulse waveforms. As a substitute for SF₆, N₂ gas under pressures above 0.3 MPa can reach the standard rated withstand voltage for 24 kV C-GIS.     

The characteristics of a negative corona discharge in He/Xe/SF6 mixture

The results of investigation of the electrical and optical characteristics of a negative corona discharge in the electrode system of the type needle-grid lit in a He/Xe/SF₆ mixture under the pressure of 100–300 kPa are presented in this paper. The given medium is working for a pulse-periodic excimer lamp on = 351 nm XeF(B–X). Distributed on the length of a lamp active media a bipolar corona discharge is intended for using in the electric circulation of the XeF-lamp working medium. It is shown that the given discharge is ignited steadily in the He/Xe/SF₆ mixture, containing 0, 5kPa SF₆ molecules and is characterised by a low power consumption; the current of the discharge is limited to the development of instability by increasing the voltage on the needles; in hot zones of corona discharge SF₆ molecules cause the effective population 6s of XeI state.     

Investigation of a single barrier discharge in submillimeter air gaps. Nonuniform field

Pulse characteristics of single barrier discharges as well as parameters of charges accumulated on the surface of a dielectric under the atmospheric pressure in the “needle-(0.1–2.0)-mm air gap-polymer barrier-plane” system are investigated. It is found experimentally that for the positive polarity of the needle, the voltage for the discharge initiation is higher than in the case of the negative polarity by ～25–35%. The reversal of the needle polarity from negative to positive increases the amplitude of the discharge current and the accumulated surface charge by ～1.5–3 times. For the positive polarity of the needle, the discharge is governed by a streamer mechanism, while for the negative polarity, the discharge is initiated by the formation of a single Trichel pulse. The single pulse regime is observed for the discharge current up to a certain electrode gap d _CR. For the positive needle and for air gap width d _air > d _CR ≈ 1.5 mm, a multipulse burst corona is formed, while for the negative needle and d _air > d _CR ≈ 0.9 mm, a damped sequence of Trichel pulses evolves in the system.     

Formation of N2 C3Πu and B3Πg by dissociative recombination of Ar 2 + in Ar+N2 early afterglow

The hf pulse excited Ar + N₂ mixtures and early afterglow are investigated at total pressures from 266 to 1995 Pa using nitrogen of 0·05–0·5% concentration. The time-resolved intensity of Ar I atomic lines and N₂ (2nd pos., 1st pos. and 1st neg.) band systems exhibit an intense early afterglow (0·3 ms). Both the decay of electron densityn _e and that of molecular Ar ₂ ⁺ ions and enhancement of coefficient of dissociative recombination due to electron temperature decrease after the pulse lead to the formation of characteristic secondary maximum of Ar I spectral line and N₂ molecular band intensities in the momentt _m after cut-off the pulse. The values oft _m(B³_g)>t _m(C³_u)>t _m(Ar I) decrease with increasing total pressure and increase with growing concentration of N₂ in Ar. In the afterglow period the Ar ₂ ⁺ dissociatively recombine in 5p and 4p Ar states. As a result of radiative transitions the metastable Ar (³P_2,0) atoms are formed which consequently due to collisions with N₂ molecules create electronically excited N₂. With increasing nitrogen concentration this effect becomes less pronounced and at concentration of N₂ greater than 0·5% it is negligible.     

Importance of pre-ionisation for the non-chain discharge-pumped HF laser

The importance of pre-ionisation for the non-chain discharge-pumped HF laser is studied through experiments on an X-ray photo-triggered laser using mixtures of Ne, SF₆, and ethane. The discharge dynamic in Ne/SF₆ mixtures or pure SF₆, as well as the stabilisation effect induced by C₂H₆ and consequences for the laser performance, are investigated for pre-ionisation electron density values, n_eo, ranging from 10⁶ cm^-3 up to 10⁹ cm^-3, as well as for the so-called discharge self-breakdown mode. Without ethane, the minimum n_eo value which is needed to complete 100% homogeneous charge deposition in the plasma is a very sharply increasing function of the SF₆ pressure. This hinders performance optimisation when the molecule used to react with F-atoms, for instance H₂, has no effect on the discharge dynamic. The minimum ethane partial pressure that is needed to stabilise the discharge depends on n_eo, the pumping pulse duration, the deposited electric charge, and the SF₆ pressure. Discharges in Ne/SF₆ can be much more efficiently stabilised by addition of a small amount of ethane than by an increase of n_eo. A pre-ionisation density as low as 10⁶ cm^-3 is sufficient to achieve the maximum laser energy value, but total suppression of the pre-ionisation has a detrimental effect on the active medium homogeneity. Received: 30 May 2000 / Revised version: 9 October 2000 / Published online: 9 February 2001     

Measurement of OH spatially resolved spectrum in a wire-plate pulsed streamer discharge

In this study, spatially resolved measurements of the emission intensity of OH (A²Σ↦X²Π, 0-0) and the vibrational temperature of N₂ (C) have been performed during a positive pulsed streamer discharge with a wire-plate electrode configuration at atmospheric pressure. The effects of pulse peak voltage, pulse repetition rate and the added O₂ flow rate on the spatial distributions of the emission intensity of OH (A²Σ↦X²Π, 0-0) and the vibrational temperatures of N₂ (C) perpendicular to the wire in the direction towards the plate (in the radial direction) are investigated. It has been found that the emission intensity of OH (A²Σ↦X²Π, 0-0) increases with increasing pulse peak voltage and pulse repetition rate and decreases with increasing the distance from the wire electrode. When the different oxygen flows are added in N₂ and H₂O mixture gas, the emission intensity of OH (A²Σ↦X²Π, 0-0) decreases with increasing the flow rate of oxygen. The vibrational temperature of N₂ (C) is nearly independent of pulsed peak voltage and pulsed repetition rate, but increases with increasing the added O₂ flow rate and keeps almost constant in the radial direction under the present experimental conditions. This measurement plays a crucial role in understanding the discharge characters of pulsed streamer discharge and establishing the molecule reaction dynamics model of pulsed streamer discharge.     

Negative coronas: Low current mode – pulse mode transition

In the paper the results of experimental study of negative corona in a point – plane gap in a dust-free air flow at atmospheric pressure are presented. Both the low current mode (LCM) of the discharge and Trichel pulses are externally triggered by UV light. Close to the inception voltage of Trichel pulses short-duration current spikes appear besides the steady component of the LCM which indicates to the switch-on of Fowler-Nordheim type emission mechanism. At the inception voltage spike – Trichel pulse transition is recorded. The influence of dielectric layers at the cathode on the discharge parameters is discussed.     

Special features of the operation of an electron-ionization CO2-laser at high pressures

A study was made of the excitation of the working medium of a CO₂-laser at a pressure of up to 8 atm by an electron beam of duration 15 · 10^–9 sec. Results are given of the energy dissipation in a CO₂:N₂-13 gas medium in the whole range of pressures with E₀/p = (18–38) V /cm · mm Hg. The dependences of the time of appearance of the stimulated radiation with respect to the current pulse are given.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 4, pp. 40–44, April, 1976.     

On the depolarization of ultracold neutrons in traps

The method of pulse duration control is proposed for intense molecular beams. The method is based on the shortening of a primary molecular-beam pulse through the formation of a pressure shock ahead of a solid surface through which the beam is passed. The method was used to obtain intense SF₆, H₂, He, SF₆/H₂ (1/10), and SF₆/He (1/10) molecular beams with a pulse duration of ≤10?15 μs and a spatial length of ≤1?2 cm.     

Effect of He and N2 on pulsed operation of CO2 lasers

Addition of He to a CO₂ laser quenched much the saturation effect of the pulsed output to increase its pulse width and its peak power. It was also newly found that the discharge current of a CO₂:N₂ mixture was suppressed to give rise to laser emission only during its suppressed period.     

High power self-controled volume discharge based molecular lasers

An investigation was made of the characteristics of the formation of a selfcontroled volume discharge for the pumping of CO₂ lasers, i.e. self-sustained volume discharge (SSVD), which involved a preliminary filling of a discharge gap by an electron flux from an auxiliary-discharge plasma. We have found that this method was suitable for large interelectrode gaps, that distortion of the electric field in the gap by the space charge of the electron flux played an important role in the formation of the discharge and that the electrodes could be profiled dynamically during propagation of an electron flux through the discharge gap and a SSVD could form in systems with a strongly inhomogeneous field. High power SSVD based CO₂ laser systems have been created and investigated. Another type of self-controled volume discharge without pre-ionization, i.e. a selfinitiated volume discharge (SIVD), in nonchain HF lasers with SF₆−C₂H₆ mixtures was investigated as well in our review. We have established that, after the primary local electrical breakdown of the discharge gap, the SIVD spreads along the gap in directions perpendicular to that of the electric field by means of the successive formation of overlapping diffuse channels under a discharge voltage close to its quasi-steady state value. It is shown that, as new channels appear, the current flowing through the channels formed earlier decreases. The volume occupied by the SIVD increases with increase in the energy deposited in the plasma and, when the discharge volume is confined by a dielectric surface, the discharge voltage increases simultaneously with increase in the current. The possible mechanisms which explain the observed phenomena, namely the dissociation of SF₆ molecules and electron attachment SF₆ molecules, are examined. A simple analytical model, which makes it possible to describe these mechanisms at a qualitative level, was developed. High power SIVD based HF(DF) lasers have been developed and tested.     

Messung und Deutung des Leitwertabklingens zylindrischer Bögen

The decay of the electrical conductance of the column of a cascaded arc (100 A) after current interruption is measured for the gases N₂, SF₆, CO₂ and Ar. Numerical computations of temperature and conductance decay are in good agreement with experiment for Ar but for N₂ and SF₆ there are drastic deviations. An interpretation of the decay processes is given by the aid of a simple model for the energy transfer including nonequilibrium processes with regard to recombination in the wall near arc regions. Introducing the model by a formal manner in the computer program leads to good agreement with experiment.     

High-efficiency,high-energy performance of a pulsed HF laser pumped by phototriggered discharge

A comparison of the performance of pulsed infrared HF lasers pumped by phototriggered discharges using either Ne/SF₆/H₂ or Ne/SF₆/C₂H₆ mixtures are presented. For an active volume of 50 cm³, a specific output energy as high as 11 J/ has been achieved with an efficiency higher than 3% when C₂H₆ is used as H atom fuel. The replacement of ethane by molecular hydrogen reduces the laser performance by 40%. The investigation of the temporal evolution of the laser intensity shows that this dramatic decrease results from a shortening of the laser pulse duration rather than from a decrease of the peak power. Indications are given that this behavior is correlated to a very different temporal evolution of the discharge parameters, especially at low reduced electric field E/N.