Source of an atmospheric-pressure plasma jet formed in air or nitrogen under barrier discharge excitation

We analyzed the atmospheric pressure plasma jet excited in air and nitrogen by a barrier discharge. The source forming stable plasma jets of length up to 4 cm in air and nitrogen is constructed, and its energy and spectral characteristics are measured.     

Emission properties of apokamp discharge at atmospheric pressure in air,argon, and helium

Emission spectra of the plasma jet of apokamp discharge in air, helium, and argon are studied. Apokamp at atmospheric pressure is formed in the areas of strengthening of the electric field near the bends in the channel of the pulse-periodic discharge and is directed perpendicularly to the discharge channel. Apokamp consists of a bright narrow “appendage” connected with the discharge channel and with the diffuse jet emerging from the channel. It is shown that, in helium, the emission of the diffuse part of apokamp is dominated by N₂ and N₂ ⁺, while emission of the “appendage” display lines and bands of He, N₂, N₂ ⁺, O, and OH. In argon, emission spectra of the diffuse part of the plasma jets contain not only N₂ and N₂ ⁺, but also Ar lines. It is assumed that the surrounding air plays an important role in the formation of the diffuse part of apokamp in helium and argon.     

UV and VUV excilamps excited by glow, barrier and capacitive discharges

An investigation was made into the characteristics of XeCl (5~308 nm), KrCl (5~222 nm) and XeI (5~253 nm)capacitive HF discharge and glow discharge excilamps. High fluorescence efficiency of the exciplex molecules has been obtained from excilamps with simple design under capacitive HF discharge excitation. A fluorescence efficiency with respect to the electrical power deposition of up to ~12% has been measured. The study of XeCl, KrCl and XeI excilamps has shown that it is possible to create sealed-off excilamps with gas mixture lifetimes of over 1000 hours.     

Determining the energy balance in barrier-discharge Xe<Subscript>2</Subscript> excilamp by the pressure jump method

The energy redistribution in barrier-discharge Xe₂ excilamp in various excitation regimes is investigated using the pressure jump method. Analytic expressions are derived for calculating power W dissipated in the excilamp discharge plasma in the form of heat and for calculating total discharge heat power P_T spent on heating the excilamp. It is shown that the mechanism of the thermal energy dissipation gradually changes upon an increase in the xenon pressure in the excilamp. The conditions for generating the maximal radiation power of the excilamp are determined. It is shown that the maximum of the average radiation power is attained for an excitation pulse duration of 500 ns and the maximal pulse power is attained for a pulse duration of 100 ns. It is found that the optimal operation regime for the excilamp corresponds to the maximal values of the P_T–W difference.     

Phenomenon of apokamp discharge

A new phenomenon has been discovered where a bend of a plasma channel becomes of a source of one or several diffuse jets that have a length (at a given voltage) up to 4–6 cm and are directed across the plasma channel at a pulse-periodic spark discharge in air under normal conditions. The phenomenon is called apokamp discharge (apokamp). The spectrum of radiation of the apokamp includes primarily the bands of electron-vibrational transitions of the second positive system of molecular nitrogen. The conditions of the formation of apokamp have been experimentally revealed and it has been established that it consists of plasma bunches moving from the plasma channel at each pulse at a velocity of about 220 km/s.     

High-power excimer laser systems

Two-high power excimer laser systems with square (25 × 25 cm) and circular (with a diameter of 40 cm) cross sections of the output laser beam are described. The first (second) system consists of four (five) excimer lasers. The experimental results on the generation of the high-quality high-power laser pulses are presented. Laser beams with a pulse duration of 1–250 ns, a divergence of 0.01 mrad, a spectral line width of 0.01 cm⁻¹, and a pulse energy of up to 330 J are obtained. Original Text ? Astro, Ltd., 2006.