Repetitively pulsed UV radiation source based on a run-away electron preionised diffuse discharge in nitrogen

Abstract

An extended repetitively pulsed source of spontaneous UV radiation is fabricated, which may also be used for producing laser radiation. Voltage pulses with an incident wave amplitude of up to , a half-amplitude duration of and a rise time of are applied to a gap with a nonuniform electric field. For an excitation region length of and a nitrogen pressure of , a diffusive discharge up to a pulse repetition rate of is produced without using an additional system for gap preionisation. An investigation is made of the plasma of the run-away electron preionised diffuse discharge. Using a CCD camera it is found that the dense diffused plasma fills the gap in a time shorter than . X-ray radiation is recorded from behind the foil anode throughout the pressure range under study; a supershort avalanche electron beam is recorded by the collector electrode at pressures below .