Electrical and optical characteristics of a transverse volume discharge in chlorine

The results of investigation of the electrical characteristics and the radiation of the plasma of a transverse volume discharge in chlorine at a pressure of 0.1-1.5 kPa are presented. The discharge is ignited in a volume of 18 x 2.2 x (0.5-1.0) cm(3) (the interelectrode gap is 2.2 cm) at a charging voltage of 5-10 kV The plasma radiation is investigated in the range of 190-900 nm. A stable volume discharge is obtained with the current pulse duration of up to 100 ns, which may be used in an ultraviolet bactericidal lamp (200-257 nm), and in a pulsed plasmachemical reactor for dry etching. The diagnostic bands of a Cl-2 molecule and the spectral lines of a Cl atom are determined. Their radiation intensity is optimized as a function of the pressure in the discharge chamber.