Experimental investigation of the characteristics of a planar surface discharge

An investigation was made of the optical and electrical characteristics of a planar surface discharge suitable for use in lasers. The optimal times and discharge input energies were determined for which the efficiency of conversion of electrical energy into 240–340 nm ultraviolet radiation energy was 5.5, 3.5, and 1.25% respectively, for Xe:F₂=10:1, Ar:F₂=10:1, and He:F₂=10:1 gas mixtures at atmospheric pressure. A chemical laser system was proposed employing initiation by a planar surface discharge. The possibility was investigated of increasing the fraction of ultraviolet radiation by forming excimer complexes of the type KrF* and XeCl* in the surface discharge plasma. For an HCl:Xe:Ar =1:1:30 gas mixture the surface-discharge optical radiation came predominantly from the excimer molecules when the specific input energy was < 5 mJ/cm². The possibility was demonstrated of utilizing a surface discharge in excimer flashlamps of high repetition frequency (up to ~10 kHz) and emitting ultraviolet radiation of surface power density ~0.3 W/cm².