High-power 1 μsec ultraviolet radiation source for pumping of gas lasers

A convenient electric-discharge ultraviolet radiation source was built. The length of the emitting region was 93 cm and the stored energy was up to 50 kJ. The initiation was provided by the well-known surface discharge method. The low inductance of the discharge circuit made it possible to achieve a brightness temperature exceeding 50 000°K in the spectral range 240–340 nm when the ultraviolet pulse duration was about 1 μsec.