DETECTION OF VACUUM ULTRAVIOLET RADIATED FROM PIEZOELECTRIC TRANSFORMER-BASED EXCIMER LAMP

A compact excimer lamp constructed with a piezoelectric transformer (PT) is investigated. This excimer lamp is based on the excitation of a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) generated by the PT in a He-Xe mixture. The vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiated from the lamp is detected by a phototube having a spectral response range from 160 to 320 nm in conjunction with an optical filter to eliminate light less than 200 nm. The VUV radiation in the wavelength range 160-200 nm is obtained. This may be derived from the 172 nm light radiated by the transitions of the Xe(2)* excimers to the ground state. Also, investigations into the VUV intensity are carried out for different gas pressures and gap lengths and the optimal condition for the VUV radiations are also determined.