Computer modelling of a short-pulse excited dielectric barrier discharge xenon excimer lamp (  172 nm)

Abstract

A detailed rate-equation analysis has been used to simulate the plasma kinetics in a pulsed-excited dielectric barrier discharge in xenon, under operating conditions where the discharge structure is spatially homogeneous. The one-dimensional model, incorporating 14 species and 70 reaction processes, predicts results that are in good agreement with experimental measurements of the electrical characteristics, and optical (vaccum-ultraviolet (VUV) and visible) pulse shapes. The model reveals that electrical breakdown of the discharge gap occurs via a fast-moving ionization/excitation wavefront that starts close to the anode dielectric and propagates towards the cathode at ∼3×105 m s−1. The wavefront appears as a result of successive avalanches of electrons that propagate across the discharge gap after release from the cathode dielectric. During breakdown, the mean electron energy in the bulk plasma is close to optimum for preferential excitation of the Xe* 1s4,5 states that feed the VUV emitting Xe2* excimer states. Calculations suggest that the overall conversion efficiency from electrical energy to VUV output in the plasma is greater than 60%, with >99% of the light output emitted in the VUV. Parasitic processes that act to reduce the key Xe* 1s4,5 and Xe2* populations are found to be essentially negligible. For pulsed excitation, the longer-term spatio-temporal behaviour of the electron/ions during the afterglow or inter-pulse period is important, resulting in a remnant `pre-pulse' ion density of ∼1015 m−3 close to the cathode dielectric. These ions bombard the cathode during the subsequent excitation period to release the secondary (seed) electrons required to achieve electrical breakdown.

One-dimensional modelling of DBDs in Ne–Xe mixtures for excimer lamps

“…Figure 8 illustrates the effect of the xenon concentration on the secondary electron current due to photon impact on the cathode J e, hν . The photoelectron current [49,57,58,63] is obtained by the relation:…”

“…Liu and Neiger [48] have developed a dynamic electrical model. The model used by Carman et al [22,49,50] analyzes the spatiotemporal evolution of species populations and electrical parameters. Also, in order to investigate the spatiotemporal characteristics of the short-pulsed DBDs in pure xenon, a 1D and 2D fluid models was used by Bogdanov et al [24,51].…”

Experimental study of low-pressure nitrogen dielectric barrier discharge

“…At the rising front of the voltage pulse, the primary discharge is occurred and the voltage falling flank is followed by the secondary discharge, without consuming the external applied energy. Thus, the discharge excitation by the unipolarpulsed voltage enhances the efficiency of the coaxial DBD source [9][10][11]. In figure 2(d), the sharp rise in current pulse is observed due to the small pulse width and fast rise time of the negative unipolar-pulsed voltage.…”

High Power UV and VUV Excilamps and Their Applications

“…Due to the novel industrial applications -cleaning of substrates with VUV radiation, UV curing, UV induced modification of polymer surfaces, UV assisted low-temperature oxidation, UV induced material deposition, water and air purification, different medicine applications excilamps attract much attention during last two decades [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. At present time, excilamps excited by a barrier discharge are the simplest and perspective as well sources of UV and VUV radiation.…”