Experimental investigation of radiation-gasdynamic interaction of high-power vacuum ultraviolet radiation fluxes with transparent condensed media

An experimental investigation was made of the radiation-gasdynamic interaction of high-power vacuum ultraviolet radiation fluxes with optical materials. Wide-band ultraviolet and vacuum ultraviolet radiation was generated by cumulation of hypersonic oppositely directed plasma jets formed by magnetoplasma compressors of the erosion type. A description is given of the apparatus and method used to measure the transmission characteristics of optical materials in the ultraviolet and vacuum ultraviolet parts of the spectrum. The results are given of measurements of the optical properties of quartz, lithium fluoride, and magnesium fluoride in the spectral range 250–120 nm after direct contact with a light-emitting plasma and under conditions of formation of an optically dense (in respect of hard vacuum ultraviolet radiation) gas layer. It is shown that, in principle, it is possible to construct sources of ultraviolet and vacuum ultraviolet radiation with a high brightness temperature of 30 kK in which the light-emitting medium is isolated by transparent walls.