Influences of floating particles on high-pressure, pulsed glow discharge for excimer laser excitation.

The floating particles produced by the high-pressure, pulsed glow discharge on KrF excimer laser excitation have been visualized by the pulsed-laser scatter method. The double-pulse discharge experiments have also been carried out to study the effects of the floating particles on the discharge instabilities. The particles with diameter of the order of 100 µm are observed in the discharge region just after the discharge. The number density of the particles increases to ∼ 3 particle/cm3 at 200 ms after the discharge, and then decreases to ∼ 1 particle/cm3 at 500 ms. In the double-pulse experiment, the probability of arc in the second discharge reduces from 300 ms after the first discharge. It has been clearly demonstrated that the floating particles of the order of 100µm hardly affect the discharge characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]