Flowing gas discharge source of vacuum ultra-violet line radiation system

摘要

A flowing gas source of vacuum ultraviolet line radiation system capable of operating efficiently at low pressures and low power levels. The system includes a source body assembly having nozzle member with an orifice on one end for sustaining an electrical discharge; a vacuum vessel for providing an evacuated region outside the orifice; a cooling jacket over a gas tubular element; and an insulator mounted upon the tubular element by vacuum coupling separating the source body electrically from the vacuum vessel. The vacuum ultraviolet radiation is derived from an electrical discharge sustained in a gaseous/vaporous media which flows through a differentially pumped orifice. The inherent differential pumping at the nozzle orifice results in a reduced gas load to instrumentation which may be operatively connected to the output port of the vacuum vessel.