VUV spectroscopy and post-discharge kinetic analysis of a pure xenon mono-filamentary dielectric barrier discharge (MF-DBD)

A spectroscopic and kinetic analysis of a pure xenon mono-filamentary dielectric barrier discharge (MF-DBD) is reported here. The MF-DBDs were achieved with a sinusoidal voltage supply at frequencies around tens of kilohertz, for pressures ranging from 25 to 550 Torr. The discharge emits the first (152 nm) and second (172 nm) continua of xenon. Between 25 and 75 Torr, these emissions have comparable peak values, whereas above 300 Torr, only the 2nd continuum is observed. These spectra are interpreted in the light of previously reported results obtained by selectively populating either the Xe( 3 P 1 ) or the Xe( 3 P 2 ) state, by using two-photon absorption laser induced fluorescence. The temporal analysis of both continua, in real operating conditions of the discharge, allowed in situ determination of its post-discharge kinetic scheme. Primary excitation of the lowest xenon atomic 6s and 6s′ states is practically achieved after an active phase of about 80 ns. We simultaneously estimated the three-body formation rate constants of the and Xe 2 [1 u ( 3 P 2 )] excimers and the radiative lifetime of the lowest vibrational levels of the latter. We, respectively, found: (180 ± 29) Torr −2 s −1 , (75.6 ± 4.2) Torr −2 s −1 and (96 ± 6) ns. The post-discharge kinetic model proposed here should contribute towards considerably improving the computing time when modelling filamentary xenon dielectric barrier discharges.