Study of emission of a volume nanosecond discharge plasma in xenon, krypton and argon at high pressures

The emission properties of a volume nanosecond discharge plasma produced in xenon, krypton and argon at high pressures in a discharge gap with a cathode having a small radius of curvature are studied. Spectra in the range 120-850 nm and amplitude-time characteristics of xenon emission at different regimes and excitation techniques are recorded and analysed. It is shown that upon excitation of the volume discharge initiated by a beam of avalanche electrons, at least 90 % of the energy in the spectral range 120 - 850 nm is emitted by xenon dimers. For xenon at a pressure of 1.2 atm, similar to 45 mJ of the spontaneous emission energy was obtained in the full solid angle in a pulse with the full width at half-maximum similar to 130 us.