Optical characteristics of barrier discharge plasma based on mixtures of mercury diiodide and dibromide vapors with gases

We analyze the spectral, integrated, and durability characteristics of radiation from atmospheric-pressure gas-discharge plasma based on multicomponent mixtures (mercury diiodide and dibromide with helium and small admixtures of molecular nitrogen and xenon). We produced the gas-discharge plasma and excited the components of the working mixture by a pulsed (pulse repetition rates 500, 2000, and 4000 Hz; pulse duration ～150 ns) barrier discharge. Visible radiation was detected from excimer molecules of mercury monoiodide and monobromide, nitrogen and helium molecules, and helium and mercury atoms. Patterns were found in the variations of optical plasma characteristics with pumping pulse repetition rate and with component and quantitative mixture composition.