Analysis and characterization of Kr/Cl₂ based 222 nm far UV-C excimer source

Surbhi Bidawat¹, Navin Kumar Sharma², R P Lamba¹, Mahendra Singh¹, Alok Mishra¹, Y Choyal² and U N Pal^1
1CSIR- Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute, Pilani-333 031, India
²School of Physics, Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore-452 001, India
Dedicated to Prof B N Basu

A direct approach to limit airborne pathogens is to inactivate them within a short period of their production. Far-UV-C light (222 nm) through mercury free Krypton/Chlorine (Kr/Cl₂) excimer source has been found to efficiently kill the pathogens without causing any harm to human skin. In the present work, experimental and computational analysis of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in Kr/Cl₂ mixture excited by unipolar pulse of negative polarity has been carried out. The aim of the study is to identify the dominant charged species and various other operational parameters leading to the production of higher KrCl*(B state) in Kr/Cl₂ excilamp. The creation and destruction mechanisms of various charged species in the gas-gap and the effect of chlorine percentage on the excimer density on the 222 nm radiation intensity have been analyzed. The characteristic emission spectra of the Kr/Cl₂ based excimer source is mainly centered on 222 nm and a weak band obtained at 258 nm of Cl₂ molecule. The 222 nm peak wavelength is the strongest line observed in the emission spectra that confirms the efficient generation of KrCl* excimer at this operating condition. © Anita Publications. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Dielectric barrier discharge, Excilamp, Fluid equation, Excimer.

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