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.     

Calculation of the characteristics of xenon excilamps using a one-dimensional hydrodynamic model

The characteristics of xenon barrier-discharge excilamps have been calculated with the use of a one-dimensional hydrodynamic model in the approximation of a nonlocal electric field. It has been shown that a two-peak mode of operation of the barrier discharge is realized in xenon excilamps. The 172-nm radiation of molecules prevails in the radiation of excilamps; the 147-nm resonance radiation makes no more than 1% of the overall radiation. The radiation intensity of xenon excilamps and their optical efficiency vary inversely on varying the parameters: the radiation intensity of a lamp falls, whereas its optical efficiency increases.     

Stimulated emission of inert gas mixtures in the VUV range

Amplification properties of continuous VUV emission of cooled discharge in mixtures of heavy inert gases are studied experimentally. The discharge current is 10–50 mA, the pressure is 100 GPa. Results pointing to amplification near the resonance line of xenon λ=146.96 nm are obtained. The amplification coefficient is measured to be κ=0.1 cm^?1. The problem of radiation outcoupling from the active medium remains to be solved for practical implementation of a VUV laser.     

Determination of optical anisotropy of layered crystals in VUV range

In the 25–32 eV range, parallel and perpendicular dielectric constants of SnS₂ and SnSe₂ are deduced from variable-incidence reflectivity measurements on cleaved faces. A new mathematical method, consistent with the Kramers-Kronig relations, is used to treat the experimental data. The anisotropy of the ?₂ curves is weak for these two compounds but information about the predominant symmetry character of the observed structures can be given.     

Parameters of VUV radiation from a DC capillary discharge in a mixture of krypton with xenon

This paper describes the technique and the results of measurement of the power and geometry of the VUV radiation beam from a dc capillary discharge in a mixture of krypton and xenon. The angular divergence of narrowband VUV radiation of the heteronuclear KrXe* molecule is shown to be narrower as compared to that of the discharge radiation in the range 200–1000 nm. The power of VUV radiation from a discharge tube 80 cm long is found to exceed 10 mW.     

Generation of GW radiation pulses from a VUV free-electron laser operating in the femtosecond regime

Experimental results are presented from vacuum-ultraviolet free-electron laser (FEL) operating in the self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) mode. The generation of ultrashort radiation pulses became possible due to specific tailoring of the bunch charge distribution. A complete characterization of the linear and nonlinear modes of the SASE FEL operation was performed. At saturation the FEL produces ultrashort pulses (30-100 fs FWHM) with a peak radiation power in the GW level and with full transverse coherence. The wavelength was tuned in the range of 95-105 nm.     

Laser-induced optical activity in range of Rydberg autoionizing states of xenon

Optical activity of xenon atoms in the vacuum UV range induced by circularly polarized laser light is studied theoretically. The optical activity arises in the vicinity of the autoionizing state 5p ⁵(² P _1/2)8s′$ \left[ {\frac{1} {2}} \right]_1 $ \left[ {\frac{1} {2}} \right]_1 as a result of its coupling via the laser field with the discrete state 5p ⁵(² P _3/2)7p $ \left[ {\frac{1} {2}} \right]_1 $ \left[ {\frac{1} {2}} \right]_1 . Polarization variations of the vacuum UV radiation upon its propagation through the atomic medium are calculated, and the possibility of controlling this polarization is discussed. Manifestations of nonresonant coupling of the discrete state with the broad autoionizing state 5p ⁵(² P _1/2)6d′$ \left[ {\frac{1} {2}} \right]_1 $ \left[ {\frac{1} {2}} \right]_1 induced by the overlap of the Rydberg autoionizing series in xenon are studied.     

Polarization analyzers operating in a wide spectral range

Different versions of practical realization of customary optical systems for full measurement of the polarization state of quasi-monochromatic partially polarized light are considered. They can be used to overcome measurement difficulties associated with the finite width of the spectral range being studied. The effect of changes in characteristics of optical and polarization elements over a spectral range on the character of polarization measurements is analyzed. Methods for elimination of chromatism or taking into account its effect on measurements are suggested. Relations for taking into account the effect of chromatism of a phase plate with constant thickness on measurement results are given. Operation of a classical four-channel scheme for studing quasi-monochromatic partially polarized light in the visible and near-IR regions is considered. For this system, expressions are derived which make possible determination of Stokes parameters taking into account the effect of a finite spectral range. A system using phase modulation of radiation by an electrooptical cell and measurement of the maximum and minimum intensities of the modulated signal is considered. Measurements are carried out by using a two-channel system. Expressions are derived which make possible determination of Stokes parameters for the system under consideration in the visible and near-IR spectral regions. A system for measuring the polarization state of radiation in the visible and near-IR regions and based on modulation of radiation by an electrooptical phase cell is described. Measurements are carried out for the fundamental modulation frequency and its harmonics using a two-channel scheme. Relations for determining Stokes parameters of the system are presented.     

On the formation of a barrier discharge in excilamps

The dynamics of discharge formation in a two-barrier XeBr excilamp is studied. It is found that the maximal voltage drop across the lamp and the breakdown voltage of the discharge gap vary with time nonmonotonically upon switching on. This indicates that the discharge goes through several stages before it reaches the steady state. An increase in the lamp capacitance prior to secondary breakdown at the contracted stage of the discharge suggests the formation of a region with a high residual conductivity in the gas-discharge space after primary discharge. It is shown that the use of a keep-alive discharge prevents the arc stage when the excilamp is switched on.     

VUV generation by frequency tripling the third harmonic of a picosecond kHz Nd:YLF laser in xenon and mercury vapour

uv ^vac=351.165 nm) of a ps 1 kHz Nd:YLF laser system is frequency tripled in xenon and mercury vapour. About 4×10⁴ photons per pulse, i.e. 4×10⁷ photons/s, are generated in xenon yielding a conversion efficiency of η=3×10^-10. The unusual frequency tripling in xenon takes place in a positive dispersive wavelength region. It is shown that Kerr-induced dispersion in the atomic system and a fifth-order process rather than a third-order process can explain the frequency tripling. For comparison a four-wave mixing process is investigated in negative dispersive mercury vapour. Due to absorption of the generated VUV radiation in the autoionization region of mercury the observed effective efficiency is, in our experimental arrangement, even lower than in xenon. An analysis of the VUV generation with respect to absorption is given. Received: 1 September 1997     

Detection of Yb impurities in the VUV spectral range of NdGaO3 crystals

Substantial influence of the 1 at.% Yb doping of NdGaO₃ single crystals on the optical functions ε₁(E) and ε₂(E) in the spectral range of electronic excitations is established. The corresponding differences of the optical functions for pure and doped NdGaO₃ have been monitored using spectroscopic ellipsometry method and synchrotron radiation light source. This opens an opportunity for the spectroscopic diagnostics of the rare earth dopants in crystals using the spectroscopic information concerning the electronic inter-band optical transitions. To understand better the experimental results obtained, the ab-initio calculations of band structure and optical spectra of the centrosymmetric single crystal NdGaO₃ have been performed using the VASP code (Vienna Ab-initio Simulation Package). The calculated dielectric functions ε₁(E) and ε₂(E) agree satisfactorily with our experimental results obtained with using the spectroscopic ellipsometry method and synchrotron radiation. It was demonstrated that differences of the optical functions for pure and doped crystals using stable synchrotron source may serve as a powerful tool for spectroscopic diagnostic of localised rare earth ions with respect to the strong inter-band transitions.     

On scattering of the spin-non-polarized wave on the two-barrier noncomplanar system

The scattering of a spin-non-polarized wave on a structure the potential profile of which contains two identical barriers with the noncomplanar internal magnetic field inductions is considered. The dependences of the transport characteristics of the structure on the degrees of freedom describing the noncomplanarity of this structure are investigated.     

Characteristics of electrical properties of wide temperature range TGB phases in liquid crystal dimers

4-n-decyloxy-4′-(cholesteryloxycarbonyl-1-butyloxy) chalcone and its two successive homologous are optically active dimeric compound derived from cholesterol. They possess wide temperature ranges of two twist grain boundary (TGB) phases namely TGBA and TGBC*. Comprehensive dielectric studies have been carried out for these compounds in the frequency range of 1 Hz to 10 MHz for different conditions of molecular anchoring. Various electrical parameter viz. dielectric permittivity, dielectric anisotropy, dc conductivity, and activation energy have been determined for these two TGB phases. Weak relaxation processes have been detected under planar anchoring of molecules in the TGBA and TGBC* phases presumably due to amplitude (soft mode) and phase (Goldstone mode) fluctuations.     

Simulation of characteristics of optical gas sensors based on diode optopairs operating in the mid-IR spectral range

An analytic model is proposed for an optical gas sensor based on diode optopairs, which takes into account the line spectral structure of gases being analyzed, as well as peculiarities of spectral characteristics of immersion-type light-emitting diodes and photodiodes operating in the mid-IR spectral range. The model makes it possible to calculate the transfer characteristic of the sensor and to estimate the measurement error for gas analyzers operating on the basis of these sensors. The experiments demonstrate bright prospects of application of sensors based on immersion-type diode optopairs in small-size gas analyzers; the expected values of the threshold sensitivity of a CO₂ sensor at a level of 10 ppm and the absolute error of measurements below 0.1% (reduced error is 1%) in a range of up to 10 vol % at a speed of up to 10 counts per second exceed the parameters of available portable CO₂ gas analyzers. The validity of the model is confirmed by conformity between the calculated data and the experimental results obtained on a prototype of a CO₂ diode sensor.     

一种宽温双光谱红外搜索跟踪系统的设计

基于谐衍射光学元件特殊的色差和热差特性,将谐衍射元件应用于红外搜索成像系统中, 设计了一个双光谱宽温度范围的红外搜索跟踪成像系统,该系统工作波段为3.7—4.8 μm和8.7—11.3 μm, F数为2.5,有效焦距为200 mm,全视场角为5°, 环境温度为-80 ℃—200 ℃. 设计结果表明,使用谐衍射透镜不仅可以使系统在两个波段范围成像优良, 而且结构简单紧凑、透射比高、具有良好的消热差特性. 关键词： 光谱成像 红外搜索 热差     

Photoabsorption of Atomic Sodium in the VUV

The absorption spectrum of atomic sodium in the photon energy region from 30 to 150 eV has been investigated. A great number of sharp absorption lines which can be attributed to the excitation of a 2p- or a 2s-electron has been detected. Simultaneous excitation of one 2p- and one 3s-electron gives rise to considerably strong broad and asymmetric absorption structures above the highest series limit (¹ P ₁) for the excitations of a single 2p-electron. Some of the assignments have been confirmed by Hartree-Fock calculations. The relative spectral dependence of the absorption cross-section in this energy range has been determined for the first time. The spectrum of free Na atoms has been compared with theL _{II, III} spectrum of solid sodium.     

Parametric amplification and harmonic generation in the VUV and XUV

To overcome limitations in the high harmonic conversion efficiency, the possibility of parametric amplification in the VUV and XUV is considered. Potential approaches, including parametric gain transfer from low- to high-order processes, are discussed. Experimentally, a near two photon resonant parametric gain scheme in xenon, excited by femtosecond KrF laser radiation at _p=248 nm, was investigated, leading to signal (_s) and idler (_i) emissions at 149 nm and 760 nm according to 2_p=_s+_i. For the signal field at 149 nm an exponential increase with density and length is obtained. By tuning the excimer laser radiation slightly towards the two-photon resonance, a macroscopic amplification of about 50 at 149 nm was measured. In addition, a sum-mixing signal at 106 nm according to _sum=2_p+_i, showing a similar exponential increase as the 149-nm signal, is observed, which indicates a coupling of both processes with a gain transfer by the common idler field. PACS 42.65.Ky     

One- and two-body dissipation in heavy-ion collisions

A microscopic theory has been formulated for one- and two-body dissipation in collisions between two heavy nuclei. With a nucleon-nucleon interaction as the basic perturbation in a density matrix approach with “linear response” approximations, the one- and two-body nuclear friction coefficients for the ⁴⁰Ca + ⁴⁰Ca system have been calculated and their dependence on relative kinetic energy and smearing of nuclear single-particle states was obtained. The results of our calculation show that: (a) the combined one- and two-body friction coefficients compare favourably with phenomenological values, (b) the one-body dissipation is more effective than two-body in kinetic energy damping, while both the mechanisms are comparable for the damping of relative angular momentum, (c) the importance of the two-body friction compared to one-body increases at higher relative kinetic energies and (d) the effect of introducing a smearing in nuclear levels appears as a lowering of nuclear friction.