Spectral and emission characteristics of XeCl-excilamps of high-frequency induction discharge for ultraviolet disinfection

Abstract

The object of study is a XeCl-excilamp with excitation by a high-frequency inductive discharge. The relevance of the work is due to the need to improve the spectral-emission characteristics of excilamps and methods for their excitation for wide practical application. The aim of the study is to optimize the spectral and emission characteristics of wide-aperture XeCl-exisilamp with electrode-free induction high-frequency discharge excitation for ultraviolet disinfection of municipal and industrial premises. The introduction briefly notes the positive effects of disinfection with ultraviolet radiation. Advantages and problems of excimer lamps and methods of their excitation as sources of ultraviolet radiation for disinfection are described. The main part presents the results of the development of a working model of an excilamp with induction high-frequency discharge excitation and the experimental study of its spectral-emission characteristics. The maximum output power of ~11 W on a mixture of HCl : Xe : He = 1 : 20 : 20 at its pressure of ~1 Torr is obtained. The maximum efficiency of the XeCl-excilamp from the high-frequency field energy invested in the discharge was ~8%, which is close to the typical values of the efficiency of excilamps with excitation by capacitive discharge. The spectral composition of the radiation was studied. It was shown that more than 90 % of the excimer lamp energy is concentrated in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum in the B-X band (maximum wavelength ~308 nm). A characteristic feature of the observed spectrum of the excimer lamp with induction high-frequency discharge excitation is the broadening of the radiation bands as compared to the spectra of the radiation of barrier or capacitive discharge excilamps. The obtained results make excitation of excilamps by high-frequency induction discharge attractive for further study and practical application. The main conclusions about the work done are formulated in the conclusion.