Abstract
Glow discharges in mixtures of xenon with other rare gases can be used as alternatives to mercury-containing UV/VUV radiation sources and fluorescent lamps. The advantages of such sources are environmental compatibility, instant light output after switching on, and less pronounced temperature dependence. However, the optimum choice of the gas composition with respect to the maximum efficiency and power of the xenon resonance radiation as well as to a stable discharge operation still remains an open question. The dc cylindrical positive column of low-pressure discharges in rare-gas mixtures is studied by a detailed self-consistent kinetic description. The influence of the buffer gases helium, neon and argon as well as the appropriate choice of the xenon admixture are revealed by analysing different triple-gas mixtures. Changes in the global power budget and the radial structure of the plasma are discussed. A mixture of He and about 1–2% Xe arises as an optimum composition.
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