UV EXCIMER RADIATION FROM DIELECTRIC-BARRIER DISCHARGES

Dielectric-barrier (silent) discharges are ideally suited for efficient excitation of high-intensity UV radiation from excimers. The molecular continuum of xenon at 172 nm could be obtained with an efficiency of close to 10 percent. Model calculations for excimer formation and UV efficiencies in such discharges are presented. The possibility of obtaining many other wavelengths (e. g. KrF* at 248 nm and XeCl* at 308 nm) and the variety of conceivable geometries (plane or cylindrical) makes this new UV source an attractive choice for many photophysical and photochemical applications.