Abstract
Microhollow cathode discharge (MHCD) plasmas in high-pressure Ne (up to and exceeding atmospheric pressure) are known to be efficient sources of Ne2* excimer radiation in the vacuum ultraviolet spectral region between 75 and 90 nm. By operating the MHCD plasma in a pulsed direct current (dc) mode, we were able to increase the Ne2* excimer emission by up to 1 order of magnitude compared to the emission intensity obtained from the same MHCD plasma excited by a constant dc current. Time-resolved emission spectroscopic studies of the Ne2* excimer emission following pulsed dc excitation of an MHCD plasma in high-pressure Ne were carried out to elucidate the microscopic details of the excimer formation and destruction processes. Our studies provide direct evidence that quenching of the Ne2*(3Σu) excimer molecules and other loss processes of the excimer molecules are important processes in high-pressure MHCD plasmas and represent, in fact, the dominant destruction channel of the Ne2*(3Σu) excimer molecules in the MHCD plasma under a wide range of operating conditions.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 37-43 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | International Journal of Mass Spectrometry |
Volume | 223-224 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 15 2003 |
Keywords
- Excimers
- High-pressure plasmas
- Hollow cathode discharges
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Instrumentation
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Spectroscopy
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry