Optical characteristics and parameters of a gas discharge plasma based on a mixture of mercury dibromide vapor and helium

Abstract

We present the results of studies of the optical characteristics and parameters of a gas discharge plasma produced by a barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure, based on a mixture of mercury dibromide vapor and helium (the working medium of a small (emitting area 8 cm2) exciplex gas discharge emitter). An average emission power of 70 mW (λmax = 502 nm) was achieved for pump pulse repetition frequency 6 kHz, voltage pulse amplitude 2.3 kV, and current pulse amplitude 8 A of duration ~100 nsec. We established the plasma parameters: the electron energy distribution functions, the transport characteristics, the discharge power losses per unit pressure going toward electron processes, the electron concentration and temperature, and also the rate constants for processes of elastic and inelastic scattering of electrons by the components of the working mixture as a function of the parameter E/N, where E is the electric field strength and N is the total concentration of mercury dibromide molecules and helium atoms.