Barrier-discharge excilamps: history, operating principle, prospects

This paper describes the operating principle of modern sources of spontaneous UV and VUV radiation based on excimer and exciplex molecules-excilamps. Citations to pioneering papers are given, in which a barrier discharge was used to excite the radiation of excilamps. The design of barrier-discharge excilamps and irradiating modules based on them are considered, along with efficient operating regimes and the emission spectra of the most promising excilamps. Examples are given of the use of barrier-discharge excilamps in science and engineering. (C) 2012 Optical Society of America.