EP4325547A1 - Ultraviolet ray generation device - Google Patents
Ultraviolet ray generation device Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP4325547A1 EP4325547A1 EP22788219.8A EP22788219A EP4325547A1 EP 4325547 A1 EP4325547 A1 EP 4325547A1 EP 22788219 A EP22788219 A EP 22788219A EP 4325547 A1 EP4325547 A1 EP 4325547A1
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- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- conductor
- electrode body
- discharge
- ultraviolet ray
- generation device
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- 239000004020 conductor Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 237
- BASFCYQUMIYNBI-UHFFFAOYSA-N platinum Chemical compound [Pt] BASFCYQUMIYNBI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 18
- PCHJSUWPFVWCPO-UHFFFAOYSA-N gold Chemical compound [Au] PCHJSUWPFVWCPO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 9
- 229910052697 platinum Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 9
- WFKWXMTUELFFGS-UHFFFAOYSA-N tungsten Chemical compound [W] WFKWXMTUELFFGS-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 9
- 229910052721 tungsten Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 9
- 239000010937 tungsten Substances 0.000 claims description 9
- 229910045601 alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 8
- 239000000956 alloy Substances 0.000 claims description 8
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 8
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 8
- 239000010935 stainless steel Substances 0.000 claims description 6
- 229910001220 stainless steel Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 6
- RTAQQCXQSZGOHL-UHFFFAOYSA-N Titanium Chemical compound [Ti] RTAQQCXQSZGOHL-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 5
- 229910052719 titanium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 5
- 239000010936 titanium Substances 0.000 claims description 5
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 description 55
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 14
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- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 8
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- 230000000052 comparative effect Effects 0.000 description 6
- 238000000605 extraction Methods 0.000 description 6
- 229910052743 krypton Inorganic materials 0.000 description 6
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- 230000007423 decrease Effects 0.000 description 5
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 5
- 229910052736 halogen Inorganic materials 0.000 description 5
- 150000002367 halogens Chemical class 0.000 description 5
- DNNSSWSSYDEUBZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N krypton atom Chemical compound [Kr] DNNSSWSSYDEUBZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 5
- 229910017604 nitric acid Inorganic materials 0.000 description 5
- 229910002651 NO3 Inorganic materials 0.000 description 4
- NHNBFGGVMKEFGY-UHFFFAOYSA-N Nitrate Chemical compound [O-][N+]([O-])=O NHNBFGGVMKEFGY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 125000004429 atom Chemical group 0.000 description 4
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- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 description 2
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- WKBOTKDWSSQWDR-UHFFFAOYSA-N Bromine atom Chemical compound [Br] WKBOTKDWSSQWDR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- KZBUYRJDOAKODT-UHFFFAOYSA-N Chlorine Chemical compound ClCl KZBUYRJDOAKODT-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- PXGOKWXKJXAPGV-UHFFFAOYSA-N Fluorine Chemical compound FF PXGOKWXKJXAPGV-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- -1 argon (Ar) Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 230000002238 attenuated effect Effects 0.000 description 1
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- GDTBXPJZTBHREO-UHFFFAOYSA-N bromine Substances BrBr GDTBXPJZTBHREO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052794 bromium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000003990 capacitor Substances 0.000 description 1
- 125000001309 chloro group Chemical group Cl* 0.000 description 1
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- 229910052734 helium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000001307 helium Substances 0.000 description 1
- SWQJXJOGLNCZEY-UHFFFAOYSA-N helium atom Chemical compound [He] SWQJXJOGLNCZEY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000001771 impaired effect Effects 0.000 description 1
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- 229910052740 iodine Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
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- 230000001678 irradiating effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
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- 229910052754 neon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- GKAOGPIIYCISHV-UHFFFAOYSA-N neon atom Chemical compound [Ne] GKAOGPIIYCISHV-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052757 nitrogen Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 150000002835 noble gases Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 230000009257 reactivity Effects 0.000 description 1
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- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 1
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- 210000000498 stratum granulosum Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- 210000000437 stratum spinosum Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052724 xenon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- FHNFHKCVQCLJFQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N xenon atom Chemical compound [Xe] FHNFHKCVQCLJFQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
- H01J65/00—Lamps without any electrode inside the vessel; Lamps with at least one main electrode outside the vessel
- H01J65/04—Lamps in which a gas filling is excited to luminesce by an external electromagnetic field or by external corpuscular radiation, e.g. for indicating plasma display panels
- H01J65/042—Lamps in which a gas filling is excited to luminesce by an external electromagnetic field or by external corpuscular radiation, e.g. for indicating plasma display panels by an external electromagnetic field
- H01J65/046—Lamps in which a gas filling is excited to luminesce by an external electromagnetic field or by external corpuscular radiation, e.g. for indicating plasma display panels by an external electromagnetic field the field being produced by using capacitive means around the vessel
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
- H01J61/00—Gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps
- H01J61/02—Details
- H01J61/12—Selection of substances for gas fillings; Specified operating pressure or temperature
- H01J61/16—Selection of substances for gas fillings; Specified operating pressure or temperature having helium, argon, neon, krypton, or xenon as the principle constituent
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
- H01J61/00—Gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps
- H01J61/02—Details
- H01J61/54—Igniting arrangements, e.g. promoting ionisation for starting
- H01J61/547—Igniting arrangements, e.g. promoting ionisation for starting using an auxiliary electrode outside the vessel
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
- H01J65/00—Lamps without any electrode inside the vessel; Lamps with at least one main electrode outside the vessel
- H01J65/04—Lamps in which a gas filling is excited to luminesce by an external electromagnetic field or by external corpuscular radiation, e.g. for indicating plasma display panels
Definitions
- the present invention relates to an ultraviolet ray generation device, and particularly relates to an ultraviolet ray generation device including an excimer lamp as an ultraviolet light source.
- a conventional excimer lamp including a pair of external electrodes disposed opposite from each other on an outer surface of a discharge container is known, and it is known that a first conductor made of a conductive substance is disposed on an inner surface of the discharge container to improve startability (as disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1 below).
- external electrodes are provided with a branch-shaped electrode that includes a root part extending from an end in a tube axis direction of the external electrode along a tube axis direction of a discharge container and a branch part extending from a distal end of the root part in a width direction of the discharge container.
- a first conductor is disposed so as to overlap a distal end of the branch part of the branch electrode of the external electrode through the discharge container.
- a high-frequency current applied to one of the external electrodes is in a state of a kind of capacitor coupling, and the high-frequency current flows to the other external electrode through a wall of a dielectric substance constituting the discharge container, so that an electric discharge tends to occur and startability is improved.
- Patent Document 1 JP-A-2012-190676
- the excimer lamp can emit light having an emission wavelength that varies with a type of a sealed-in light-emitting gas.
- a sealed-in light-emitting gas For instance, if a noble gas and a halogen gas are sealed in the discharge container, it is difficult to form the first conductor inside the discharge container because the halogen gas displays high reactivity and is absorbed by the conductive substance.
- the technique described in Patent Document 1 is not highly versatile as a means for improving startability of the excimer lamp.
- an object of the present invention to improve the startability of an ultraviolet ray generation device including an excimer lamp as an ultraviolet light source.
- An ultraviolet ray generation device includes:
- the atmospheric discharge described herein refers to a discharge phenomenon that occurs in the atmosphere and specifically indicates a corona discharge, a creeping discharge or such a phenomenon that occurs in the atmosphere.
- the first conductor faces the other electrode body or the second conductor electrically connected to the other electrode body, through the dielectric member, causing an atmospheric discharge. More specifically, an atmospheric discharge occurs at a starting point, i.e., a distal end of the first conductor or a region put in point contact with the dielectric member, at which electric field strength tends to be concentrated.
- the first conductor includes a discharge starting point at which electric field strength tends to be concentrated, and the starting point desirably has a positional relationship such that the starting point and an electrode body at an electric potential shared with the other electrode body or the second conductor electrically connected to the electrode body face each other through the dielectric member. It is desirable that the first conductor includes a plurality of such discharge starting points. According to this configuration, even if one of the starting points becomes less apt to function (an electric discharge is less apt to occur), the other starting point functions and thus the startability of the ultraviolet ray generation device is less apt to be impaired.
- the dielectric member may be a member distinct from the discharge container.
- a thickness of the dielectric member can be freely adjusted. Adjusting appropriately the thickness of the dielectric member makes it possible to reduce consumption of electrical energy in the atmospheric discharge when the excimer lamp is lit.
- a thickness of the dielectric member interposed between the first conductor and either the other electrode body or the second conductor may be smaller than a sum of a thickness of the discharge container interposed between the first electrode body and the discharge gas and a thickness of the discharge container interposed between the second electrode body and the discharge gas.
- insulation breakdown tends to occur between the first conductor and the other electrode body or the second conductor before insulation is broken down inside the discharge container.
- the thickness of the dielectric member interposed between the first conductor and either the other electrode body or the second conductor is desirably 30% or greater and more desirably 50% or greater of the sum of the thickness of the discharge container interposed between the first electrode body and the discharge gas and the thickness of the discharge container interposed between the second electrode body and the discharge gas.
- This configuration helps to weaken the atmospheric discharge between the first conductor and the other electrode body or the second conductor after insulation is broken down inside the discharge container (after an electric discharge starts inside the discharge container) in response to a voltage applied to the first electrode body and the second electrode body.
- an amount of current consumed in the atmospheric discharge is likely to decrease after the excimer lamp starts. This is likely to suppress a decrease in electric power to the excimer lamp and suppress a decrease in irradiance.
- the atmospheric discharge is weakened after the start of an electric discharge. This helps to reduce wear of the first conductor, which causes an atmospheric discharge.
- the first conductor may be made of at least one conductive material selected from aurum, platinum, tungsten, titanium, aluminum, and stainless steel or an alloy of the conductive material.
- a material that does not display deliquescence is suitable for the material that the first conductor, which is used to assist the excimer lamp with starting, is made of.
- NOx gas is generated in response to a discharge around the first conductor, and NOx gas reacts with moisture in the atmosphere and becomes HNO 3 (nitric acid).
- HNO 3 nitric acid
- nitrate is formed on the first conductor. Most nitrate absorbs moisture from the atmosphere and can be dissolved in the water and be liquefied (this is referred as deliquescence). Since the deliquescent substance is formed, a liquefied substance is formed around the first conductor. As a result, an atmospheric discharge is less apt to occur.
- the tube wall temperature of many discharge lamps rises and when the temperature around the lamp is high, the amount of moisture in the atmosphere is small and the problem above is less likely to occur.
- the temperature of the discharge container is relatively less apt to rise, and the problem of deteriorating startability due to deliquescence tends to be actualized.
- the first conductor is desirably made of any of the materials listed above that display high nitrate tolerance in order not to form a deliquescent substance.
- the first conductor is preferably made of at least one conductive material selected from aurum, platinum, and tungsten or an alloy of the conductive material.
- Titanium, aluminum, and stainless steel described above cause an oxide coating to be formed on the metal surface and thereby possess nitrate tolerance.
- the first conductor is preferably made of a material (aurum, platinum, and tungsten) that does not cause an atom without an oxide coating to react with nitric acid.
- the ultraviolet ray generation device may be configured such that the first conductor extends in a rod shape toward the other electrode body or the second conductor, and the first conductor causes an atmospheric discharge (a corona discharge in this example) at a distal end of the first conductor as a starting point.
- an atmospheric discharge a corona discharge in this example
- the second conductor may include a planar portion facing the distal end of the first conductor.
- the ultraviolet ray generation device may be configured such that the first conductor extends so as to be planar and face the other electrode body or the second conductor, and the first conductor causes a creeping discharge along a surface of the dielectric member with the first conductor as a starting point.
- This configuration causes a creeping discharge with the distal end of the first conductor as a starting point, and light emission due the creeping discharge helps to improve the startability of the excimer lamp.
- Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing one mode of use of an ultraviolet ray generation device according to the present invention.
- Fig. 1 schematically shows how an area 40 to be irradiated is irradiated with ultraviolet rays L1 emitted through a light extraction face 30 of an ultraviolet ray generation device 1 installed in a housing 100.
- Fig. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of an external appearance of the ultraviolet ray generation device 1.
- Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of Fig. 2 , in which a casing 2 of the ultraviolet ray generation device 1 is separated into a main body 2a and a lid 2b.
- a direction in which the ultraviolet rays L1 are extracted is defined as an X direction and a plane orthogonal to the X direction is defined as a YZ plane. More specifically, as will be described later with reference to Fig. 2 and subsequent drawings, a tube axis direction of an excimer lamp 10 is defined as a Y direction, and a direction orthogonal to the X direction and the Y direction is defined as a Z direction.
- the ultraviolet ray generation device 1 includes the casing 2 that has the light extraction face 30 formed on one surface.
- the casing 2 includes the main body 2a and the lid 2b, and the main body 2a houses a plurality of excimer lamps 10 and electrode bodies 21, 22 therein.
- four excimer lamps 10 are housed in the casing 2 by way of example.
- the electrode bodies 21, 22 can form a shape that enables a flow of electricity to the excimer lamps 10 and may be, for example, in a block shape, a plate shape, or a net shape so as to be put into contact with a discharge container 11 of each excimer lamp 10.
- Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the plurality of the excimer lamps 10 and the electrode bodies 21, 22 extracted from Fig. 3 .
- Fig. 5 is a side view schematically showing a positional relationship between the excimer lamps 10 and the electrode bodies 21, 22.
- the ultraviolet ray generation device 1 includes the four excimer lamps 10 arranged so as to be separated from each other in the Z direction. Further, the two electrode bodies 21, 22 are disposed so as to be in contact with a portion of an outer surface of each of the excimer lamps 10.
- the electrode body 21 and the electrode body 22 may be hereinafter referred to as a first electrode body 21 and a second electrode body 22, respectively.
- Each of the excimer lamps 10 has the discharge container 11 with the tube axis direction extending along the Y direction, and the outer surfaces of the discharge containers 11 of the excimer lamps 10 are partly in contact with the electrode bodies 21, 22 at positions separated in the Y direction.
- the electrode bodies 21, 22 are disposed so as to extend across the excimer lamps 10 in the Z direction while being in contact with the outer surfaces of the discharge containers 11 of the excimer lamps 10.
- the ultraviolet ray generation device 1 includes a pair of the electrode bodies 21, 22 that are disposed at positions separated from each other in the Y direction.
- the electrode bodies 21, 22 are made of a conductive material, preferably a material exhibiting reflectivity to ultraviolet rays emitted from the excimer lamps 10.
- the electrode bodies 21, 22 are made of aluminum, an aluminum alloy, stainless steel, or the like.
- a gas type of the discharge gas 10G is not particularly limited as long as atoms constituting the gas type are excited or ionized into an excimer state by the application of such voltage and then excimer light is emitted when the atoms are returned to a ground state.
- the discharge gas 10G may be one or more of noble gases such as argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), and xenon (Xe) or a mixed gas of the noble gas and a halogen gas such as fluorine (F), chlorine (CI), iodine (I), or bromine (Br).
- noble gases such as argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), and xenon (Xe)
- a mixed gas of the noble gas and a halogen gas such as fluorine (F), chlorine (CI), iodine (I), or bromine (Br).
- the discharge gas 10G may be a mixed gas of krypton (Kr), chlorine (CI), and argon (Ar). It is to be noted that in this case, krypton and chlorine function as a light-emitting gas and argon functions as a buffer gas.
- a buffer gas at least one noble gas selected from argon (Ar), neon (Ne), and helium (He) can be used.
- An excimer lamp 10 containing, as the discharge gas 10G, a mixed gas of Kr and Cl 2 emits ultraviolet rays having a peak wavelength of about 222 nm. Even when the skin of a human body is exposed to an ultraviolet ray in a wavelength band of 190 nm or more and 235 nm or less including 222 nm, the ultraviolet ray is absorbed by the stratum corneum of the skin and does not reach layers deeper than the stratum corneum (layers on the substratum side).
- Corneocytes contained in the stratum corneum are dead cells, and therefore, unlike the case of irradiation with an ultraviolet ray having a wavelength of, for example, 254 nm, there is hardly any risk that the ultraviolet ray is absorbed by living cells in the stratum spinosum, the stratum granulosum, and the dermis so that DNA is destroyed.
- an ultraviolet ray generation device equipped with excimer lamps containing a sealed-in discharge gas as described above is expected to be used in various applications such as photosterilization and is considered to be used in a wide variety of situations.
- Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the electrode bodies 21, 22 in the shape of a block viewed from a side opposite the light extraction face 30.
- Fig. 7 is a plan view of the electrode bodies 21, 22 viewed from the side opposite the light extraction face 30.
- a dielectric member 6 described later is shown in a cross-sectional view.
- the electrode bodies 21, 22 have a common shape.
- a first recess 23 and a second recess 24 are formed in a surface on an -X side of each of the electrode bodies 21, 22.
- the first recess 23 extends in a -Y direction from a surface on a +Y side of each of the electrode bodies 21, 22.
- the second recess 24 extends in a +Y direction from a surface on an -Y side of each of the electrode bodies 21, 22.
- the first recess 23 and the second recess 24 are disposed so as to be opposite to each other in the Y direction.
- the first recess 23 and the second recess 24 are formed in a middle in the Z direction of each of the electrode bodies 21, 22.
- each of the electrode bodies 21, 22 has a screw hole 25 to which a power wire 7 (see Fig. 2 ) is connected.
- the power wire 7 on a high-voltage side is connected to the screw hole 25 of the first electrode body 21, and the power wire 7 on a low-voltage side is connected to the screw hole 25 of the second electrode body 22.
- the power wire 7 on the low-voltage side may be connected to the screw hole 25 of the first electrode body 21, and the power wire 7 on the high-voltage side may be connected to the screw hole 25 of the second electrode body 22.
- a third recess 26 is formed in a surface on a +X side of each of the electrode bodies 21, 22 and is put into contact with the outer surface of the discharge container 11 of the excimer lamp 10.
- Four pieces of the third recesses 26 are provided at equal intervals in the Z direction.
- the first recess 23 and the second recess 24 are disposed between the two third recesses 26 in the middle.
- the ultraviolet ray generation device 1 includes a first conductor 5.
- the first conductor 5 is installed to assist the excimer lamps 10 with starting.
- the first conductor 5 is electrically connected to the first electrode body 21.
- the first conductor 5 includes a proximal part 5a in the shape of a spring and a distal part 5b in the shape of a rod and has elasticity as a whole.
- the proximal part 5a is electrically connected to the first electrode body 21.
- the proximal part 5a is disposed inside the first recess 23 in the first electrode body 21 and is in contact with an inner wall 23a on the -Y side of the first recess 23.
- the proximal part 5a is pressed against the inner wall 23a of the first recess 23 by an elastic force of the proximal part 5a.
- the first conductor 5 includes the spring-shaped proximal part 5a and the rod-shaped distal part 5b.
- the shape of the first conductor 5 is not limited to this.
- the first conductor 5 may have, for example, a column shape, a rod shape, or a sheet shape as a whole.
- the shape of the distal part 5b of the first conductor 5 is not limited to a rod shape but may be a sheet shape or the like.
- a distal end 5c of the distal part 5b is sharp-pointed. This causes electric field strength to be concentrated at the distal end 5c of the first conductor 5 and thus electric discharge tends to occur at the distal end 5c of the first conductor 5.
- the first conductor 5 is made of a material that has conductivity.
- the first conductor 5 is made of at least one conductive material selected from aurum, platinum, tungsten, titanium, aluminum, and stainless steel or an alloy of any of these conductive materials. More preferably, the first conductor 5 is made of at least one conductive material selected from aurum, platinum, and tungsten or an alloy of any of these conductive materials.
- the dielectric member 6 is interposed between the first conductor 5 and the second electrode body 22. Specifically, the dielectric member 6 is interposed between the distal part 5b extending toward the second electrode body 22 in the Y direction and the second electrode body 22.
- a dielectric member is interposed between a first conductor and a second electrode body or a second conductor
- the dielectric member is simply present between the first conductor and the second electrode body or the second conductor, and the dielectric member may be or may not be in contact with both the parts.
- the dielectric member 6 is present between the first conductor 5 and the second electrode body 22, and may be or may not be in contact with the first conductor 5 and the second electrode body 22. Another member may be present between the dielectric member 6 and either the first conductor 5 or the second electrode body 22.
- A is interposed between B and C” hereinafter means that A is simply present between B and C.
- the dielectric member 6 has a tubular shape with closed one end. More specifically, the dielectric member 6 has a bottomed tubular shape including a tubular part 6a and a bottom part 6b to close one end of the tubular part 6a.
- a shape of the tubular part 6a is not limited to a cylindrical shape but may be another shape such as a square tubular shape.
- a shape of the bottom part 6b is not limited to a planar shape but may be another shape such as a hemispherical shape.
- the dielectric member 6 is held by the first recess 23 of the first electrode body 21 and the second recess 24 of the second electrode body 22.
- the tubular part 6a of the dielectric member 6 is slightly smaller than the first recess 23, and the bottom part 6b is slightly smaller than the second recess 24.
- the dielectric member 6 is disposed so as to cover the distal end 5c of the first conductor 5.
- the distal end 5c of the first conductor 5 is pressed against the bottom part 6b of the dielectric member 6 by an elastic force of the proximal part 5a.
- the dielectric member 6 is made of a material that displays high insulation performance, high mechanical strength, and high transmittance to ultraviolet rays.
- the dielectric member 6 is made of a ceramic material such as quartz glass and alumina or a resin such as PTFE.
- the excimer lamps 10 in response to high-frequency voltage applied between the electrode bodies 21, 22, insulation is broken down in a discharge space (in the discharge container 11) and excimer emission thereby occurs.
- the excimer lamps 10 repeat discharging photons and finishing the discharge in ns order and do these actions at high frequencies. As a result, it appears that the lamps are essentially continuously lit.
- a voltage is applied between the electrode bodies 21, 22 and concurrently a voltage is applied between the first conductor 5 connected to the first electrode body 21 and the second electrode body 22.
- a distance between the first conductor 5 and the second electrode body 22 is shorter than a distance between the first electrode body 21 and the second electrode body 22.
- insulation breakdown occurs first at a low voltage in a space between the first conductor 5 and the second electrode body 22, and the first conductor 5 causes a corona discharge at the distal end 5c as a starting point.
- ultraviolet rays are emitted from the distal end 5c of the first conductor 5.
- a band of wavelengths that the ultraviolet rays have includes 226 to 227 nm. It is inferred that the discharge is attributed to nitrogen, a main ingredient in the atmosphere.
- the first conductor 5 After the excimer lamps 10 are lit, the first conductor 5 also remains lit as-is. However, this does not have an influence on irradiance of the excimer lamps 10 because electricity used for the first conductor 5 is slight. Further, the influence decreases because the discharge inside the lamps acts independently and the atmospheric discharge at the first conductor 5 tends to be suppressed after the excimer lamps 10 are lit.
- a characteristic of the first conductor 5 is that the voltage is also distributed to the excimer lamps 10 after the excimer lamps 10 are lit, and hence the voltage applied to the first conductor 5 is lower than the voltage at the time of starting and a load on the first conductor 5 is light during continuous lighting. This makes the life of the first conductor 5 long as a trigger.
- the ultraviolet ray generation device 1 includes the excimer lamps 10 each having the discharge container 11 in which the discharge gas 10G is sealed, the first electrode body 21 and the second electrode body 22 that are disposed so as not to be exposed to the discharge gas 10G, and the first conductor 5 electrically connected to the first electrode body 21.
- the first conductor 5 and the second electrode body 22 face each other through the dielectric member 6, and the first conductor 5 causes an atmospheric discharge (a corona discharge) around the distal end 5c of the first conductor 5, which is a starting point of the discharge.
- the description of the first electrode body 21 and the second electrode body 22 that are "disposed so as not to be exposed to the discharge gas” includes not only a configuration in which the first electrode body 21 and the second electrode body 22 are disposed so as to be put into contact with the outer surfaces of the discharge containers 11 containing the sealed-in discharge gas 10G but also a configuration in which the first electrode body 21 and the second electrode body 22 are partly mounted into the outer surfaces of the discharge containers 11 and a configuration in which the first electrode body 21 and the second electrode body 22 are fully mounted into the discharge containers 11.
- the first conductor 5 is disposed outside the discharge containers 11.
- electrode blocks 91, 92 are disposed in a longitudinal direction of excimer lamps 90 such that outer surfaces of discharge containers are put into contact with the electrode blocks 91, 92.
- the excimer lamps 90 cause an electric discharge by applying a high voltage between the electrode blocks 91, 92. If the technique described in Patent Document 1 is applied to the excimer lamps 90 and a first conductor 93 is disposed on an inner surface of each of the discharge containers, the electric discharge is concentrated in a vicinity of the first conductor 93. This decreases efficiency with which ultraviolet rays are radiated.
- FIG. 8A is a plan view schematically showing the ultraviolet ray generation device 1 according to another embodiment.
- the first conductor 5 is in the shape of a rod having a sharp-pointed distal end.
- the dielectric member 6 is in the shape of a flat plate being parallel to the XZ plane.
- the first conductor 5 and the dielectric member 6 are not necessarily put into contact with each other but may be disposed at a degree of spacing that allows an electric discharge.
- the first conductor 5 is not necessarily in the shape of a rod having a sharp-pointed distal end.
- the first conductor 5 in the shape of a rectangular plate has two corners that each can be a starting point of discharge.
- Fig. 8B is a plan view schematically showing the ultraviolet ray generation device 1 according to still another embodiment.
- the first conductor 5 includes a coiled part.
- the dielectric member 6 is in the shape of a flat plate being parallel to the XZ plane.
- the first conductor 5 and the dielectric member 6 are not necessarily put into contact with each other but may be disposed at a degree of spacing that allows an electric discharge.
- An atmospheric discharge occurs at a region as a starting point at which the coiled part of the first conductor 5 is in point contact with (or adjacent to) the dielectric member 6. Since the first conductor 5 includes the coiled part, there are a plurality of regions (starting points) at which the first conductor 5 is in point contact with the dielectric member 6.
- Fig. 9 is a plan view schematically showing the ultraviolet ray generation device 1 according to still another embodiment.
- a second conductor 8 is electrically connected to the second electrode body 22.
- the second electrode body 22 is at an electric potential shared with the second conductor 8.
- the first conductor 5 being connected to the first electrode body 21 and extending toward the second electrode body 22 and the second conductor 8 being connected to the second electrode body 22 and extending toward the first electrode body 21 are disposed.
- the dielectric member 6 is interposed between the first conductor 5 and the second conductor 8. In this way, the first conductor 5 may face a portion (the second conductor 8 in this example) at the electric potential shared with the second electrode body 22 through the dielectric member 6.
- a second embodiment is similar in configuration to the first embodiment except for components described below. Therefore, descriptions of the common points will be omitted and differences will be primarily described.
- elements having structures or functions (effects) substantially similar to those described in the first embodiment are represented, and descriptions thereof will not be repeated.
- Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an ultraviolet ray generation device 1 according to the second embodiment.
- Fig. 11 is an enlarged view of an XI region in Fig. 10 .
- the ultraviolet ray generation device 1 includes an excimer lamp 10 having a discharge container 11 in which a discharge gas 10G is sealed, and a first electrode body 21 and a second electrode body 22 that are disposed so as not to be exposed to the discharge gas 10G.
- the first electrode body 21 and the second electrode body 22 are disposed so as to be separated from each other on an outer surface of the discharge container 11.
- the ultraviolet ray generation device 1 also includes a first conductor 5 electrically connected to the first electrode body 21 and a second conductor 8 electrically connected to the second electrode body 22.
- the first conductor 5 is at an electric potential shared with the first electrode body 21, and the second conductor 8 is at an electric potential shared with the second electrode body 22.
- the first conductor 5 includes a first connection 51 connected to the first electrode body 21 and a first conductive layer 52 extending from the first connection 51 in a direction toward the second electrode body 22 and has a substantially L-shaped cross section.
- the first connection 51 extends from the first electrode body 21 in the -X direction.
- the first conductive layer 52 extends in the +Y direction from an end in the -X direction of the first connection 51.
- the first conductive layer 52 extends so as to protrude from an end face 21a on the +Y side of the first electrode body 21.
- the second conductor 8 includes a second connection 81 connected to the second electrode body 22 and a second conductive layer 82 extending from the second connection 81 in a direction toward the first electrode body 21 and has a substantially L-shaped cross section.
- the second connection 81 extends from the second electrode body 22 in the -X direction.
- the second connection 81 is longer in the X direction than the first connection 51.
- the second conductive layer 82 is shifted to the -X side from the first conductive layer 52.
- the second conductive layer 82 extends in the -Y direction from an end in the -X direction of the second connection 81.
- the second conductive layer 82 extends so as to protrude from an end face 22a on the -Y side of the second electrode body 22.
- a distance 82d by which the second conductive layer 82 extends from the end face 22a is longer than a distance 52d by which the first conductive layer 52 extends from the end face 21a.
- the first conductive layer 52 and the second conductive layer 82 partly overlap each other in the X direction.
- a portion of the first conductive layer 52 facing the second conductive layer 82 in the X direction is a conductive portion 53 (or a starting point).
- the first conductor 5 includes the conductive portion 53 disposed so as to face the second conductor 8.
- the conductive portion 53 is disposed nearer to the first electrode body 21 out of the first electrode body 21 and the second electrode body 22.
- the first conductor 5 and the second conductor 8 are made of a material that has conductivity.
- the first conductor 5 and the second conductor 8 are made of at least one conductive material selected from aurum, platinum, tungsten, titanium, aluminum, and stainless steel or an alloy of any of these conductive materials. More preferably, the first conductor 5 and the second conductor 8 are made of at least one conductive material selected from aurum, platinum, and tungsten or an alloy of any of these conductive materials.
- a dielectric member 6 is interposed between the conductive portion 53 and the second conductive layer 82.
- the first conductor 5 and the second conductor 8 are substantially fully mounted into the dielectric member 6, with the first conductor 5 and the second conductor 8 being separated from each other.
- the first conductor 5 and the second conductor 8 that are substantially fully mounted into the dielectric member 6, described herein, mean that at least a part of the conductive portion 53 of the first conductor 5 is exposed to the atmosphere.
- a part of a surface on the +X side of the conductive portion 53 (referred to as an exposed area 53a) is exposed to the atmosphere.
- the exposed area 53a is disposed between the first electrode body 21 and the second electrode body 22.
- the exposed area 53a is disposed so as to face the excimer lamp 10.
- the exposed area 53a is not necessarily fully exposed to the atmosphere. From the viewpoint of corrosion prevention, a thin coating of about 10 to 20 ⁇ m, for example, may be applied.
- a thickness 6t of the dielectric member 6 interposed between the conductive portion 53 and the second conductor 8 is smaller than a total thickness (twice a thickness 11t) that is a sum of the thickness 11t of the discharge container 11 interposed between the first electrode body 21 and the discharge gas 10G (see Fig. 10 ) and the thickness 11t of the discharge container 11 interposed between the second electrode body 22 and the discharge gas 10G (a shortest distance) (see Fig. 10 ). This facilitates the occurrence of an atmospheric discharge around the conductive portion 53.
- the dielectric member 6 is made of a material that displays high insulation performance, high mechanical strength, and high transmittance to ultraviolet rays.
- the dielectric member 6 is made of a ceramic material such as quartz glass and alumina or a resin such as PTFE.
- a voltage is applied between the electrode bodies 21, 22 and concurrently a voltage is applied between the first conductor 5 connected to the first electrode body 21 and the second conductor 8 connected to the second electrode body 22.
- a distance between the conductive portion 53 of the first conductor 5 and the second conductor 8 is shorter than a distance between the first electrode body 21 and the second electrode body 22.
- insulation breakdown occurs first at a low voltage between the conductive portion 53 and the second conductor 8.
- This causes a creeping discharge SD along a surface of the dielectric member 6 with the exposed area 53a of the conductive portion 53 as a starting point.
- the creeping discharge SD causes an ultraviolet ray L2 to be emitted.
- a band of wavelengths that the ultraviolet ray L2 has includes 226 to 227 nm. This helps to efficiently assist a light emission operation in a band of wavelengths shorter than 240 nm with a starting discharge.
- the ultraviolet ray L2 due to the creeping discharge SD induces excimers to be excited in the discharge space of the excimer lamp 10 (a discharge occurs).
- the ultraviolet ray L2 from the first conductor 5 enters the excimer lamp 10 in a state where a voltage is applied to the discharge gas 10G through the electrode bodies 21, 22, the excimer lamp 10 becomes lit in a short time (e.g., within 0 seconds to 2 seconds) by this optical energy as a trigger.
- the discharge gas 10G contains krypton (Kr) and chlorine (CI)
- light emitted from the excimer lamps 10 is ultraviolet rays having a peak wavelength of 222 nm.
- the ultraviolet ray generation device 1 includes the excimer lamp 10 having the discharge container 11 in which the discharge gas 10G is sealed, the first electrode body 21 and the second electrode body 22 that are disposed so as not to be exposed to the discharge gas 10G, and the first conductor 5 electrically connected to the first electrode body 21.
- the first conductor 5 and the second conductor 8 face each other through the dielectric member 6, and the first conductor 5 causes an atmospheric discharge (a creeping discharge) around a distal end (the conductive portion 53) of the first conductor 5, which is a starting point of the discharge.
- Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the ultraviolet ray generation device 1 according to another embodiment.
- the first conductor 5 includes a conductive portion 54 that is disposed so as to face the second electrode body 22 through the dielectric member 6.
- the ultraviolet ray generation device 1 does not include a second conductor 8.
- the conductive portion 54 extends in the +X direction from an end in the +Y direction of the first conductive layer 52.
- the conductive portion 54 extends so as to be planar and face the end face 22a on the -Y side of the second electrode body 22.
- a part of a surface on the -Y side of the conductive portion 54 (referred to as an exposed area 54a) is exposed to the atmosphere.
- This in the same way as the second embodiment above, causes a creeping discharge SD along a surface of the dielectric member 6 with the exposed area 54a of the conductive portion 54 as a starting point.
- the creeping discharge SD causes an ultraviolet ray L2 to be emitted.
- a third embodiment is similar in configuration to the first embodiment except for components described below. Therefore, descriptions of the common points will be omitted and differences will be primarily described.
- elements having structures or functions (effects) substantially similar to those described in the first embodiment are represented, and descriptions thereof will not be repeated.
- Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an ultraviolet ray generation device 1 according to the third embodiment.
- the ultraviolet ray generation device 1 includes an excimer lamp 10 having a discharge container 11 in which a discharge gas 10G is sealed, and a first electrode body 21 and a second electrode body 22 that are disposed so as not to be exposed to the discharge gas 10G.
- the discharge container 11 is long in a direction perpendicular to the drawing plane of Fig. 13 .
- the discharge container 11 has a cross section that is compressed and substantially quadrilateral and has a pair of flat walls 11a, 11b.
- the first electrode body 21 and the second electrode body 22 are disposed on outer surfaces of the pair of the flat walls 11a, 11b, respectively, of the discharge container 11.
- the first electrode body 21 is connected to, for example, the high-voltage side of a power source
- the second electrode body 22 is connected to, for example, the low-voltage side of the power source.
- At least one of the first electrode body 21 and the second electrode body 22 is made of such a material or has such a shape that transmission of ultraviolet rays is allowed or an area impervious to light is small.
- the second electrode body 22 is made of a metal that has, for example, a mesh shape or a coil shape.
- the first electrode body 21 is a solid electrode.
- the first electrode body 21 and the second electrode body 22 may have such a shape that light is allowed to pass through and may be, for example, electrodes that have slits.
- the ultraviolet ray generation device 1 includes a first conductor 5 electrically connected to the first electrode body 21 and a second conductor 8 electrically connected to the second electrode body 22.
- the first conductor 5 includes a conductive portion 55 that is disposed so as to face the second conductor 8 through a dielectric member 6.
- the conductive portion 55 extends in a rod shape toward the second conductor 8.
- the second conductor 8 includes a planar portion 8a facing a distal end 55a of the conductive portion 55.
- the dielectric member 6 is in the shape of a flat plate and has an area covering a whole of the planar portion 8a. The dielectric member 6 is put between the distal end 55a of the first conductor 5 and the planar portion 8a of the second conductor 8.
- a fourth embodiment is similar in configuration to the third embodiment except for components described below. Therefore, descriptions of the common points will be omitted and differences will be primarily described.
- elements having structures or functions (effects) substantially similar to those described in the third embodiment are represented, and descriptions thereof will not be repeated.
- Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an ultraviolet ray generation device 1 according to the fourth embodiment.
- the ultraviolet ray generation device 1 includes an excimer lamp 10 having a discharge container 11 in which a discharge gas 10G is sealed, and a first electrode body 21 and a second electrode body 22 that are disposed so as not to be exposed to the discharge gas 10G.
- the discharge container 11 has a double-tube structure that includes tube axes extending parallel to the drawing plane of Fig. 14 .
- the discharge container 11 includes an inner tube 11c and an outer tube 11d disposed so as to surround the inner tube 11c. A space put between the inner tube 11c and the outer tube 11d is filled with a discharge gas 10G.
- the first electrode body 21 is disposed on an inner peripheral wall of the inner tube 11c.
- the second electrode body 22 is disposed on an outer peripheral wall of the outer tube 11d.
- the first electrode body 21 is connected to, for example, the high-voltage side of a power source, and the second electrode body 22 is connected to, for example, the low-voltage side of the power source.
- At least the second electrode body 22 out of the first electrode body 21 and the second electrode body 22 is made of such a material or has such a shape that transmission of ultraviolet rays is allowed or an area impervious to light is small.
- the second electrode body 22 is made of a metal that has, for example, a mesh shape or a coil shape.
- Fig. 16 is a plan view schematically showing electrode bodies (21, 22) according to a fifth embodiment.
- a first conductor 5 is in the shape of a rod having a sharp-pointed distal end part (starting point).
- a dielectric member 6 has a bottomed tubular shape.
- the dielectric member 6 is held only by the second electrode body 22.
- Fig. 17 is a plan view and a side view each schematically showing electrode bodies (21, 22) according to a sixth embodiment.
- a first conductor 5 has a U shape in the side view and is partly in contact with the first electrode body 21.
- a dielectric member 6 has a plate shape extending in the Y direction and is put inside the U-shaped first conductor 5. The dielectric member 6 is held by being put between the first conductor 5 and either the first electrode body 21 or the second electrode body 22 on both sides.
- Fig. 18 is a plan view and a side view each schematically showing electrode bodies (21, 22) according to a seventh embodiment.
- a dielectric member 6 has a tubular shape with opened both ends, and a first conductor 5 is inserted into the dielectric member 6.
- the dielectric member may have a tubular shape with opened both ends, whereas the dielectric member may have a tubular shape with closed one end as shown in Fig. 7 .
- Fig. 19 is a side view schematically showing electrode bodies (21, 22) according to an eighth embodiment.
- a first conductor 5 and a second conductor 8 are disposed as two start assist electrodes.
- the first conductor 5 being connected to the first electrode body 21 and extending toward the second electrode body 22 and the second conductor 8 being connected to the second electrode body 22 and extending toward the first electrode body 21 are disposed.
- a dielectric member 6 is interposed between the first conductor 5 and the second electrode body 22 and between the first conductor 5 and the second conductor 8.
- at least a part of the first conductor 5 is housed in the dielectric member 6 that is tubular.
- a distal end part (starting point) of a conductive portion of at least one of the first conductor 5 and the second conductor 8 is disposed between the first electrode body 21 and the second electrode body 22.
- a plurality of the dielectric members 6 may be used such that the dielectric members 6 are interposed between the first conductor 5 and the second conductor 8 and between the first conductor 5 and the second conductor 8, respectively.
- Fig. 20 is a plan view schematically showing electrode bodies (21, 22) according to a ninth embodiment.
- a dielectric member 6 has a bottomed tubular shape.
- a first conductor 5 is connected to the first electrode body 21 and extends toward the second electrode body 22.
- a distal end part (starting point) of the first conductor 5 is pressed against a bottom part of the dielectric member 6.
- a second conductor 8 connected to the second electrode body 22 is wound in a coil shape around a bottom side of the dielectric member 6.
- An ultraviolet ray irradiation device having the following specifications was prepared and designated as an example.
- a first conductor 5 and a dielectric member 6 were made to have the configuration shown in Fig. 16 .
- Gas Pressure 20 kPa
- gas type a mixed gas of Cl and Kr
- the ultraviolet ray irradiation device that was not provided with a start assist electrode and a dielectric substance was designated as Comparative example 1.
- the ultraviolet ray irradiation device that was, as shown in Fig. 24 , provided with an LED 9 as a start assist light source rather than being provided with a start assist electrode and a dielectric substance was designated as Comparative example 2.
- the LED 9 emits ultraviolet rays having a wavelength of 275 nm.
- the average start-up delay time was 1.1 seconds.
- the excimer lamp was not lit even in 60 seconds.
- the average start-up delay time was 45.9 seconds.
- the ultraviolet ray irradiation device according to the present invention provided substantially improved startability.
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Abstract
The startability of an ultraviolet ray generation device including an excimer lamp as an ultraviolet light source is to be improved. An ultraviolet ray generation device includes: an excimer lamp having a discharge container in which a discharge gas is sealed; a first electrode body and a second electrode body that are disposed so as not to be exposed to the discharge gas; and a first conductor electrically connected to one of the first electrode body and the second electrode body. The first conductor faces the other electrode body or a second conductor electrically connected to the other electrode body, through a dielectric member. The first conductor causes an atmospheric discharge around the first conductor.
Description
- The present invention relates to an ultraviolet ray generation device, and particularly relates to an ultraviolet ray generation device including an excimer lamp as an ultraviolet light source.
- A conventional excimer lamp including a pair of external electrodes disposed opposite from each other on an outer surface of a discharge container is known, and it is known that a first conductor made of a conductive substance is disposed on an inner surface of the discharge container to improve startability (as disclosed, for example, in
Patent Document 1 below). - In
Patent Document 1, external electrodes are provided with a branch-shaped electrode that includes a root part extending from an end in a tube axis direction of the external electrode along a tube axis direction of a discharge container and a branch part extending from a distal end of the root part in a width direction of the discharge container. A first conductor is disposed so as to overlap a distal end of the branch part of the branch electrode of the external electrode through the discharge container. According to this configuration, at the time of starting an excimer lamp, a high-frequency current applied to one of the external electrodes is in a state of a kind of capacitor coupling, and the high-frequency current flows to the other external electrode through a wall of a dielectric substance constituting the discharge container, so that an electric discharge tends to occur and startability is improved. - Patent Document 1:
JP-A-2012-190676 - The excimer lamp can emit light having an emission wavelength that varies with a type of a sealed-in light-emitting gas. However, there is a case in which adopting the configuration described in
Patent Document 1 is difficult depending on the type of the sealed-in light-emitting gas. For instance, if a noble gas and a halogen gas are sealed in the discharge container, it is difficult to form the first conductor inside the discharge container because the halogen gas displays high reactivity and is absorbed by the conductive substance. Hence, the technique described inPatent Document 1 is not highly versatile as a means for improving startability of the excimer lamp. - In view of the above problem, it is an object of the present invention to improve the startability of an ultraviolet ray generation device including an excimer lamp as an ultraviolet light source.
- An ultraviolet ray generation device according to the present invention includes:
- an excimer lamp having a discharge container in which a discharge gas is sealed;
- a first electrode body and a second electrode body that are disposed so as not to be exposed to the discharge gas; and
- a first conductor electrically connected to one of the first electrode body and the second electrode body,
- in which
- the first conductor faces an other electrode body or a second conductor electrically connected to the other electrode body, through a dielectric member, and
- the first conductor causes an atmospheric discharge around the first conductor.
- According to this configuration, it is possible to cause an atmospheric discharge around the first conductor through use of a voltage applied to the first electrode body and the second electrode body. Light emission due to the atmospheric discharge induces excimers to be excited in the discharge container of the excimer lamp. This improves the startability of the excimer lamp. The atmospheric discharge described herein refers to a discharge phenomenon that occurs in the atmosphere and specifically indicates a corona discharge, a creeping discharge or such a phenomenon that occurs in the atmosphere.
- The first conductor faces the other electrode body or the second conductor electrically connected to the other electrode body, through the dielectric member, causing an atmospheric discharge. More specifically, an atmospheric discharge occurs at a starting point, i.e., a distal end of the first conductor or a region put in point contact with the dielectric member, at which electric field strength tends to be concentrated. In this way, the first conductor includes a discharge starting point at which electric field strength tends to be concentrated, and the starting point desirably has a positional relationship such that the starting point and an electrode body at an electric potential shared with the other electrode body or the second conductor electrically connected to the electrode body face each other through the dielectric member. It is desirable that the first conductor includes a plurality of such discharge starting points. According to this configuration, even if one of the starting points becomes less apt to function (an electric discharge is less apt to occur), the other starting point functions and thus the startability of the ultraviolet ray generation device is less apt to be impaired.
- In the ultraviolet ray generation device according to the present invention, the dielectric member may be a member distinct from the discharge container.
- When the dielectric member is a member distinct from the discharge container, a thickness of the dielectric member can be freely adjusted. Adjusting appropriately the thickness of the dielectric member makes it possible to reduce consumption of electrical energy in the atmospheric discharge when the excimer lamp is lit.
- In the ultraviolet ray generation device according to the present invention, a thickness of the dielectric member interposed between the first conductor and either the other electrode body or the second conductor (a shortest distance) may be smaller than a sum of a thickness of the discharge container interposed between the first electrode body and the discharge gas and a thickness of the discharge container interposed between the second electrode body and the discharge gas.
- According to this configuration, in response to a voltage applied to the first electrode body and the second electrode body, insulation breakdown tends to occur between the first conductor and the other electrode body or the second conductor before insulation is broken down inside the discharge container.
- The thickness of the dielectric member interposed between the first conductor and either the other electrode body or the second conductor (the shortest distance) is desirably 30% or greater and more desirably 50% or greater of the sum of the thickness of the discharge container interposed between the first electrode body and the discharge gas and the thickness of the discharge container interposed between the second electrode body and the discharge gas.
- This configuration helps to weaken the atmospheric discharge between the first conductor and the other electrode body or the second conductor after insulation is broken down inside the discharge container (after an electric discharge starts inside the discharge container) in response to a voltage applied to the first electrode body and the second electrode body. Thus, an amount of current consumed in the atmospheric discharge is likely to decrease after the excimer lamp starts. This is likely to suppress a decrease in electric power to the excimer lamp and suppress a decrease in irradiance. The atmospheric discharge is weakened after the start of an electric discharge. This helps to reduce wear of the first conductor, which causes an atmospheric discharge.
- In the ultraviolet ray generation device according to the present invention, the first conductor may be made of at least one conductive material selected from aurum, platinum, tungsten, titanium, aluminum, and stainless steel or an alloy of the conductive material.
- A material that does not display deliquescence is suitable for the material that the first conductor, which is used to assist the excimer lamp with starting, is made of. NOx gas is generated in response to a discharge around the first conductor, and NOx gas reacts with moisture in the atmosphere and becomes HNO3 (nitric acid). When the first conductor is soaked in nitric acid, nitrate is formed on the first conductor. Most nitrate absorbs moisture from the atmosphere and can be dissolved in the water and be liquefied (this is referred as deliquescence). Since the deliquescent substance is formed, a liquefied substance is formed around the first conductor. As a result, an atmospheric discharge is less apt to occur. The tube wall temperature of many discharge lamps rises and when the temperature around the lamp is high, the amount of moisture in the atmosphere is small and the problem above is less likely to occur. However, for a dielectric barrier discharge lamp according to the present invention, the temperature of the discharge container is relatively less apt to rise, and the problem of deteriorating startability due to deliquescence tends to be actualized. Hence, in the ultraviolet ray generation device according to the present invention, the first conductor is desirably made of any of the materials listed above that display high nitrate tolerance in order not to form a deliquescent substance.
- In the ultraviolet ray generation device according to the present invention, the first conductor is preferably made of at least one conductive material selected from aurum, platinum, and tungsten or an alloy of the conductive material.
- Titanium, aluminum, and stainless steel described above cause an oxide coating to be formed on the metal surface and thereby possess nitrate tolerance. However, there is a conceivable case in which an atom without an oxide coating reacts with nitric acid due in part to a sputter at a discharge area caused by the atmospheric discharge. Hence, the first conductor is preferably made of a material (aurum, platinum, and tungsten) that does not cause an atom without an oxide coating to react with nitric acid.
- The ultraviolet ray generation device according to the present invention may be configured such that the first conductor extends in a rod shape toward the other electrode body or the second conductor, and
the first conductor causes an atmospheric discharge (a corona discharge in this example) at a distal end of the first conductor as a starting point. - In the ultraviolet ray generation device according to the present invention, the second conductor may include a planar portion facing the distal end of the first conductor.
- These configurations cause a corona discharge at the distal end of the first conductor, which acts as a starting point, and light emission due the corona discharge helps to improve the startability of the excimer lamp.
- The ultraviolet ray generation device according to the present invention may be configured such that the first conductor extends so as to be planar and face the other electrode body or the second conductor, and
the first conductor causes a creeping discharge along a surface of the dielectric member with the first conductor as a starting point. - This configuration causes a creeping discharge with the distal end of the first conductor as a starting point, and light emission due the creeping discharge helps to improve the startability of the excimer lamp.
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Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing one mode of use of an ultraviolet ray generation device according to the present invention. -
Fig. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of an external appearance of an ultraviolet ray generation device. -
Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view ofFig. 2 , in which a casing is separated into a main body and a lid. -
Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a plurality of excimer lamps and electrode bodies extracted fromFig. 3 . -
Fig. 5 is a schematic plan view for explaining a positional relationship between the excimer lamps and the electrode bodies, which is obtained by viewing the excimer lamps in a +Z direction. -
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the electrode bodies viewed from a side opposite a light extraction face. -
Fig. 7 is a plan view of the electrode bodies viewed from the side opposite the light extraction face. -
Fig. 8A is a plan view schematically showing electrode bodies according to another embodiment. -
Fig. 8B is a plan view schematically showing electrode bodies according to another embodiment. -
Fig. 9 is a plan view schematically showing electrode bodies according to another embodiment. -
Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an ultraviolet ray generation device according to a second embodiment. -
Fig. 11 is an enlarged view of an XI region inFig. 10 . -
Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an ultraviolet ray generation device according to another embodiment. -
Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an ultraviolet ray generation device according to a third embodiment. -
Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an ultraviolet ray generation device according to a fourth embodiment. -
Fig. 15 is a plan view schematically showing electrode bodies according to a conventional technique. -
Fig. 16 is a plan view schematically showing electrode bodies according to a fifth embodiment. -
Fig. 17 is a plan view and a side view each schematically showing electrode bodies according to a sixth embodiment. -
Fig. 18 is a plan view and a side view each schematically showing electrode bodies according to a seventh embodiment. -
Fig. 19 is a side view schematically showing electrode bodies according to an eighth embodiment. -
Fig. 20 is a plan view schematically showing electrode bodies according to the sixth embodiment. -
Fig. 21 is a schematic view showing a first conductor and a dielectric member according to another embodiment. -
Fig. 22 is a schematic view showing a first conductor and a dielectric member according to another embodiment. -
Fig. 23 is a schematic view showing a first conductor and a dielectric member according to another embodiment. -
Fig. 24 is a plan view schematically showing electrode bodies according to Comparative Example 2. - Each embodiment of an ultraviolet ray generation device according to the present invention is described with reference to the drawings as appropriate. The drawings referred to below present schematic illustrations and the dimensional ratios in the drawings are not necessarily the same as the actual dimensional ratios. The dimensional ratios in various figures of the drawings are not necessarily the same, either.
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Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing one mode of use of an ultraviolet ray generation device according to the present invention.Fig. 1 schematically shows how an area 40 to be irradiated is irradiated with ultraviolet rays L1 emitted through alight extraction face 30 of an ultravioletray generation device 1 installed in ahousing 100. -
Fig. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of an external appearance of the ultravioletray generation device 1.Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view ofFig. 2 , in which acasing 2 of the ultravioletray generation device 1 is separated into amain body 2a and alid 2b. - Each of the following drawings will be described with reference to an X-Y-Z coordinate system in which a direction in which the ultraviolet rays L1 are extracted is defined as an X direction and a plane orthogonal to the X direction is defined as a YZ plane. More specifically, as will be described later with reference to
Fig. 2 and subsequent drawings, a tube axis direction of anexcimer lamp 10 is defined as a Y direction, and a direction orthogonal to the X direction and the Y direction is defined as a Z direction. - In the following description, in the case of distinguishing whether the direction is positive or negative, the positive or negative symbol is added, such as the "+X direction" or the "-X direction". In the case where there is no need to distinguish between positive and negative directions, the direction is simply described as the "X direction". Namely, in the present specification, in the case where the direction is simply described as the "X direction", both "+X direction" and "-X direction" are included. The same applies to the Y direction and the Z direction.
- As shown in
Figs. 2 and3 , the ultravioletray generation device 1 includes thecasing 2 that has thelight extraction face 30 formed on one surface. Thecasing 2 includes themain body 2a and thelid 2b, and themain body 2a houses a plurality ofexcimer lamps 10 andelectrode bodies excimer lamps 10 are housed in thecasing 2 by way of example. Theelectrode bodies excimer lamps 10 and may be, for example, in a block shape, a plate shape, or a net shape so as to be put into contact with adischarge container 11 of eachexcimer lamp 10. -
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the plurality of theexcimer lamps 10 and theelectrode bodies Fig. 3 .Fig. 5 is a side view schematically showing a positional relationship between theexcimer lamps 10 and theelectrode bodies - As shown in
Fig. 4 , the ultravioletray generation device 1 according to this embodiment includes the fourexcimer lamps 10 arranged so as to be separated from each other in the Z direction. Further, the twoelectrode bodies excimer lamps 10. Theelectrode body 21 and theelectrode body 22 may be hereinafter referred to as afirst electrode body 21 and asecond electrode body 22, respectively. - Each of the
excimer lamps 10 has thedischarge container 11 with the tube axis direction extending along the Y direction, and the outer surfaces of thedischarge containers 11 of theexcimer lamps 10 are partly in contact with theelectrode bodies electrode bodies excimer lamps 10 in the Z direction while being in contact with the outer surfaces of thedischarge containers 11 of theexcimer lamps 10. - As described above, the ultraviolet
ray generation device 1 according to this embodiment includes a pair of theelectrode bodies electrode bodies excimer lamps 10. In one example, theelectrode bodies - When a high-frequency alternating current (AC) voltage of, for example, about 1 kHz to 5 MHz is applied between the
electrode bodies discharge gas 10G sealed inside thedischarge container 11 of each of theexcimer lamps 10 through thedischarge container 11. A gas type of thedischarge gas 10G is not particularly limited as long as atoms constituting the gas type are excited or ionized into an excimer state by the application of such voltage and then excimer light is emitted when the atoms are returned to a ground state. More specifically, thedischarge gas 10G may be one or more of noble gases such as argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), and xenon (Xe) or a mixed gas of the noble gas and a halogen gas such as fluorine (F), chlorine (CI), iodine (I), or bromine (Br). - In one example, the
discharge gas 10G may be a mixed gas of krypton (Kr), chlorine (CI), and argon (Ar). It is to be noted that in this case, krypton and chlorine function as a light-emitting gas and argon functions as a buffer gas. As a buffer gas, at least one noble gas selected from argon (Ar), neon (Ne), and helium (He) can be used. - An
excimer lamp 10 containing, as thedischarge gas 10G, a mixed gas of Kr and Cl2 emits ultraviolet rays having a peak wavelength of about 222 nm. Even when the skin of a human body is exposed to an ultraviolet ray in a wavelength band of 190 nm or more and 235 nm or less including 222 nm, the ultraviolet ray is absorbed by the stratum corneum of the skin and does not reach layers deeper than the stratum corneum (layers on the substratum side). Corneocytes contained in the stratum corneum are dead cells, and therefore, unlike the case of irradiation with an ultraviolet ray having a wavelength of, for example, 254 nm, there is hardly any risk that the ultraviolet ray is absorbed by living cells in the stratum spinosum, the stratum granulosum, and the dermis so that DNA is destroyed. - It is known that ultraviolet rays in the above-described wavelength band have a sterilization effect on an object irradiated therewith. Therefore, an ultraviolet ray generation device equipped with excimer lamps containing a sealed-in discharge gas as described above is expected to be used in various applications such as photosterilization and is considered to be used in a wide variety of situations.
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Fig. 6 is a perspective view of theelectrode bodies light extraction face 30.Fig. 7 is a plan view of theelectrode bodies light extraction face 30. InFig. 7 , adielectric member 6 described later is shown in a cross-sectional view. - The
electrode bodies first recess 23 and asecond recess 24 are formed in a surface on an -X side of each of theelectrode bodies first recess 23 extends in a -Y direction from a surface on a +Y side of each of theelectrode bodies second recess 24 extends in a +Y direction from a surface on an -Y side of each of theelectrode bodies first recess 23 and thesecond recess 24 are disposed so as to be opposite to each other in the Y direction. Thefirst recess 23 and thesecond recess 24 are formed in a middle in the Z direction of each of theelectrode bodies - The surface on the -X side of each of the
electrode bodies screw hole 25 to which a power wire 7 (seeFig. 2 ) is connected. Thepower wire 7 on a high-voltage side is connected to thescrew hole 25 of thefirst electrode body 21, and thepower wire 7 on a low-voltage side is connected to thescrew hole 25 of thesecond electrode body 22. However, thepower wire 7 on the low-voltage side may be connected to thescrew hole 25 of thefirst electrode body 21, and thepower wire 7 on the high-voltage side may be connected to thescrew hole 25 of thesecond electrode body 22. - A
third recess 26 is formed in a surface on a +X side of each of theelectrode bodies discharge container 11 of theexcimer lamp 10. Four pieces of thethird recesses 26 are provided at equal intervals in the Z direction. Thefirst recess 23 and thesecond recess 24 are disposed between the twothird recesses 26 in the middle. - The ultraviolet
ray generation device 1 according to this embodiment includes afirst conductor 5. Thefirst conductor 5 is installed to assist theexcimer lamps 10 with starting. Thefirst conductor 5 is electrically connected to thefirst electrode body 21. - In this embodiment, the
first conductor 5 includes aproximal part 5a in the shape of a spring and adistal part 5b in the shape of a rod and has elasticity as a whole. Theproximal part 5a is electrically connected to thefirst electrode body 21. Theproximal part 5a is disposed inside thefirst recess 23 in thefirst electrode body 21 and is in contact with aninner wall 23a on the -Y side of thefirst recess 23. Theproximal part 5a is pressed against theinner wall 23a of thefirst recess 23 by an elastic force of theproximal part 5a. - In this embodiment, the
first conductor 5 includes the spring-shapedproximal part 5a and the rod-shapeddistal part 5b. However, the shape of thefirst conductor 5 is not limited to this. Thefirst conductor 5 may have, for example, a column shape, a rod shape, or a sheet shape as a whole. In addition, the shape of thedistal part 5b of thefirst conductor 5 is not limited to a rod shape but may be a sheet shape or the like. Preferably, adistal end 5c of thedistal part 5b is sharp-pointed. This causes electric field strength to be concentrated at thedistal end 5c of thefirst conductor 5 and thus electric discharge tends to occur at thedistal end 5c of thefirst conductor 5. - The
first conductor 5 is made of a material that has conductivity. Preferably, thefirst conductor 5 is made of at least one conductive material selected from aurum, platinum, tungsten, titanium, aluminum, and stainless steel or an alloy of any of these conductive materials. More preferably, thefirst conductor 5 is made of at least one conductive material selected from aurum, platinum, and tungsten or an alloy of any of these conductive materials. - The
dielectric member 6 is interposed between thefirst conductor 5 and thesecond electrode body 22. Specifically, thedielectric member 6 is interposed between thedistal part 5b extending toward thesecond electrode body 22 in the Y direction and thesecond electrode body 22. - In the present specification, "a dielectric member is interposed between a first conductor and a second electrode body or a second conductor" means that the dielectric member is simply present between the first conductor and the second electrode body or the second conductor, and the dielectric member may be or may not be in contact with both the parts. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the
dielectric member 6 is present between thefirst conductor 5 and thesecond electrode body 22, and may be or may not be in contact with thefirst conductor 5 and thesecond electrode body 22. Another member may be present between thedielectric member 6 and either thefirst conductor 5 or thesecond electrode body 22. Similarly, "A is interposed between B and C" hereinafter means that A is simply present between B and C. - The
dielectric member 6 according to this embodiment has a tubular shape with closed one end. More specifically, thedielectric member 6 has a bottomed tubular shape including atubular part 6a and abottom part 6b to close one end of thetubular part 6a. A shape of thetubular part 6a is not limited to a cylindrical shape but may be another shape such as a square tubular shape. A shape of thebottom part 6b is not limited to a planar shape but may be another shape such as a hemispherical shape. - The
dielectric member 6 is held by thefirst recess 23 of thefirst electrode body 21 and thesecond recess 24 of thesecond electrode body 22. Thetubular part 6a of thedielectric member 6 is slightly smaller than thefirst recess 23, and thebottom part 6b is slightly smaller than thesecond recess 24. - The
dielectric member 6 is disposed so as to cover thedistal end 5c of thefirst conductor 5. Thedistal end 5c of thefirst conductor 5 is pressed against thebottom part 6b of thedielectric member 6 by an elastic force of theproximal part 5a. - Preferably, the
dielectric member 6 is made of a material that displays high insulation performance, high mechanical strength, and high transmittance to ultraviolet rays. In one example, thedielectric member 6 is made of a ceramic material such as quartz glass and alumina or a resin such as PTFE. - When the ultraviolet
ray generation device 1 is operated, high-frequency voltage is applied between theelectrode bodies Fig. 2 ) from a power source not shown. This allows the high-frequency voltage to be applied to thedischarge gas 10G sealed within each of theexcimer lamps 10 through thedischarge container 11. - In the
excimer lamps 10, in response to high-frequency voltage applied between theelectrode bodies excimer lamps 10 repeat discharging photons and finishing the discharge in ns order and do these actions at high frequencies. As a result, it appears that the lamps are essentially continuously lit. - Meanwhile, if a halogen gas is sealed in the
excimer lamps 10, electrons are absorbed due to a high electron affinity of the halogen gas and theexcimer lamps 10 are put into a state in which an electric current is less apt to flow (electrons are less apt to move) without continuous lighting. Thus, irradiating the discharge space with light with a wavelength having energy close to excitation energy for excimer emission is necessary to improve startability of theexcimer lamps 10. This induces excimers to be excited in the discharge space (an electric discharge is ready to occur). - In the ultraviolet
ray generation device 1 according to this embodiment, a voltage is applied between theelectrode bodies first conductor 5 connected to thefirst electrode body 21 and thesecond electrode body 22. At this time, a distance between thefirst conductor 5 and thesecond electrode body 22 is shorter than a distance between thefirst electrode body 21 and thesecond electrode body 22. Thus, insulation breakdown occurs first at a low voltage in a space between thefirst conductor 5 and thesecond electrode body 22, and thefirst conductor 5 causes a corona discharge at thedistal end 5c as a starting point. As a result, ultraviolet rays are emitted from thedistal end 5c of thefirst conductor 5. A band of wavelengths that the ultraviolet rays have includes 226 to 227 nm. It is inferred that the discharge is attributed to nitrogen, a main ingredient in the atmosphere. - Light emission by the
first conductor 5 due to the atmospheric discharge induces excimers to be excited in the discharge space of the excimer lamps 10 (a discharge occurs). Thus, when the ultraviolet rays from thefirst conductor 5 enter theexcimer lamps 10 in a state where a voltage is applied to thedischarge gas 10G through theelectrode bodies excimer lamps 10 become lit in a short time (e.g., within 0 seconds to 2 seconds) by this optical energy as a trigger. When thedischarge gas 10G contains krypton (Kr) and chlorine (CI), light emitted from theexcimer lamps 10 is ultraviolet rays having a peak wavelength of 222 nm. - After the
excimer lamps 10 are lit, thefirst conductor 5 also remains lit as-is. However, this does not have an influence on irradiance of theexcimer lamps 10 because electricity used for thefirst conductor 5 is slight. Further, the influence decreases because the discharge inside the lamps acts independently and the atmospheric discharge at thefirst conductor 5 tends to be suppressed after theexcimer lamps 10 are lit. - A characteristic of the
first conductor 5 is that the voltage is also distributed to theexcimer lamps 10 after theexcimer lamps 10 are lit, and hence the voltage applied to thefirst conductor 5 is lower than the voltage at the time of starting and a load on thefirst conductor 5 is light during continuous lighting. This makes the life of thefirst conductor 5 long as a trigger. - As described above, the ultraviolet
ray generation device 1 according to the first embodiment includes theexcimer lamps 10 each having thedischarge container 11 in which thedischarge gas 10G is sealed, thefirst electrode body 21 and thesecond electrode body 22 that are disposed so as not to be exposed to thedischarge gas 10G, and thefirst conductor 5 electrically connected to thefirst electrode body 21. Thefirst conductor 5 and thesecond electrode body 22 face each other through thedielectric member 6, and thefirst conductor 5 causes an atmospheric discharge (a corona discharge) around thedistal end 5c of thefirst conductor 5, which is a starting point of the discharge. - In the present specification, the description of the
first electrode body 21 and thesecond electrode body 22 that are "disposed so as not to be exposed to the discharge gas" includes not only a configuration in which thefirst electrode body 21 and thesecond electrode body 22 are disposed so as to be put into contact with the outer surfaces of thedischarge containers 11 containing the sealed-indischarge gas 10G but also a configuration in which thefirst electrode body 21 and thesecond electrode body 22 are partly mounted into the outer surfaces of thedischarge containers 11 and a configuration in which thefirst electrode body 21 and thesecond electrode body 22 are fully mounted into thedischarge containers 11. - The
first conductor 5 is disposed outside thedischarge containers 11. For instance, as shown inFig. 15 , electrode blocks 91, 92 are disposed in a longitudinal direction ofexcimer lamps 90 such that outer surfaces of discharge containers are put into contact with the electrode blocks 91, 92. Theexcimer lamps 90 cause an electric discharge by applying a high voltage between the electrode blocks 91, 92. If the technique described inPatent Document 1 is applied to theexcimer lamps 90 and afirst conductor 93 is disposed on an inner surface of each of the discharge containers, the electric discharge is concentrated in a vicinity of thefirst conductor 93. This decreases efficiency with which ultraviolet rays are radiated. - Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings, it should be understood that specific configurations are not limited to these embodiments. The scope of the present invention is indicated not only by the above description of the embodiment but also by the claims, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.
- The structure adopted in each embodiment described above can be adopted in any other embodiment. Specific configurations of parts are not limited only to those in the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
- A combination of the
first conductor 5 and thedielectric member 6 is not limited to the above configuration.Fig. 8A is a plan view schematically showing the ultravioletray generation device 1 according to another embodiment. In this example, thefirst conductor 5 is in the shape of a rod having a sharp-pointed distal end. Thedielectric member 6 is in the shape of a flat plate being parallel to the XZ plane. Thefirst conductor 5 and thedielectric member 6 are not necessarily put into contact with each other but may be disposed at a degree of spacing that allows an electric discharge. Thefirst conductor 5 is not necessarily in the shape of a rod having a sharp-pointed distal end. For instance, thefirst conductor 5 in the shape of a rectangular plate has two corners that each can be a starting point of discharge. -
Fig. 8B is a plan view schematically showing the ultravioletray generation device 1 according to still another embodiment. In this example, thefirst conductor 5 includes a coiled part. Thedielectric member 6 is in the shape of a flat plate being parallel to the XZ plane. Thefirst conductor 5 and thedielectric member 6 are not necessarily put into contact with each other but may be disposed at a degree of spacing that allows an electric discharge. An atmospheric discharge occurs at a region as a starting point at which the coiled part of thefirst conductor 5 is in point contact with (or adjacent to) thedielectric member 6. Since thefirst conductor 5 includes the coiled part, there are a plurality of regions (starting points) at which thefirst conductor 5 is in point contact with thedielectric member 6. -
Fig. 9 is a plan view schematically showing the ultravioletray generation device 1 according to still another embodiment. In this example, asecond conductor 8 is electrically connected to thesecond electrode body 22. Thesecond electrode body 22 is at an electric potential shared with thesecond conductor 8. In other words, thefirst conductor 5 being connected to thefirst electrode body 21 and extending toward thesecond electrode body 22 and thesecond conductor 8 being connected to thesecond electrode body 22 and extending toward thefirst electrode body 21 are disposed. Thedielectric member 6 is interposed between thefirst conductor 5 and thesecond conductor 8. In this way, thefirst conductor 5 may face a portion (thesecond conductor 8 in this example) at the electric potential shared with thesecond electrode body 22 through thedielectric member 6. - A second embodiment is similar in configuration to the first embodiment except for components described below. Therefore, descriptions of the common points will be omitted and differences will be primarily described. In the second embodiment, elements having structures or functions (effects) substantially similar to those described in the first embodiment are represented, and descriptions thereof will not be repeated.
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Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an ultravioletray generation device 1 according to the second embodiment.Fig. 11 is an enlarged view of an XI region inFig. 10 . - The ultraviolet
ray generation device 1 includes anexcimer lamp 10 having adischarge container 11 in which adischarge gas 10G is sealed, and afirst electrode body 21 and asecond electrode body 22 that are disposed so as not to be exposed to thedischarge gas 10G. Thefirst electrode body 21 and thesecond electrode body 22 are disposed so as to be separated from each other on an outer surface of thedischarge container 11. - The ultraviolet
ray generation device 1 also includes afirst conductor 5 electrically connected to thefirst electrode body 21 and asecond conductor 8 electrically connected to thesecond electrode body 22. Thefirst conductor 5 is at an electric potential shared with thefirst electrode body 21, and thesecond conductor 8 is at an electric potential shared with thesecond electrode body 22. - The
first conductor 5 includes afirst connection 51 connected to thefirst electrode body 21 and a firstconductive layer 52 extending from thefirst connection 51 in a direction toward thesecond electrode body 22 and has a substantially L-shaped cross section. Thefirst connection 51 extends from thefirst electrode body 21 in the -X direction. The firstconductive layer 52 extends in the +Y direction from an end in the -X direction of thefirst connection 51. The firstconductive layer 52 extends so as to protrude from an end face 21a on the +Y side of thefirst electrode body 21. - The
second conductor 8 includes asecond connection 81 connected to thesecond electrode body 22 and a secondconductive layer 82 extending from thesecond connection 81 in a direction toward thefirst electrode body 21 and has a substantially L-shaped cross section. Thesecond connection 81 extends from thesecond electrode body 22 in the -X direction. Thesecond connection 81 is longer in the X direction than thefirst connection 51. The secondconductive layer 82 is shifted to the -X side from the firstconductive layer 52. The secondconductive layer 82 extends in the -Y direction from an end in the -X direction of thesecond connection 81. The secondconductive layer 82 extends so as to protrude from anend face 22a on the -Y side of thesecond electrode body 22. Adistance 82d by which the secondconductive layer 82 extends from theend face 22a is longer than adistance 52d by which the firstconductive layer 52 extends from the end face 21a. - The first
conductive layer 52 and the secondconductive layer 82 partly overlap each other in the X direction. A portion of the firstconductive layer 52 facing the secondconductive layer 82 in the X direction is a conductive portion 53 (or a starting point). In other words, thefirst conductor 5 includes theconductive portion 53 disposed so as to face thesecond conductor 8. Theconductive portion 53 is disposed nearer to thefirst electrode body 21 out of thefirst electrode body 21 and thesecond electrode body 22. - The
first conductor 5 and thesecond conductor 8 are made of a material that has conductivity. Preferably, thefirst conductor 5 and thesecond conductor 8 are made of at least one conductive material selected from aurum, platinum, tungsten, titanium, aluminum, and stainless steel or an alloy of any of these conductive materials. More preferably, thefirst conductor 5 and thesecond conductor 8 are made of at least one conductive material selected from aurum, platinum, and tungsten or an alloy of any of these conductive materials. - A
dielectric member 6 is interposed between theconductive portion 53 and the secondconductive layer 82. In the present embodiment, thefirst conductor 5 and thesecond conductor 8 are substantially fully mounted into thedielectric member 6, with thefirst conductor 5 and thesecond conductor 8 being separated from each other. Thefirst conductor 5 and thesecond conductor 8 that are substantially fully mounted into thedielectric member 6, described herein, mean that at least a part of theconductive portion 53 of thefirst conductor 5 is exposed to the atmosphere. In the present embodiment, a part of a surface on the +X side of the conductive portion 53 (referred to as an exposedarea 53a) is exposed to the atmosphere. The exposedarea 53a is disposed between thefirst electrode body 21 and thesecond electrode body 22. Preferably, the exposedarea 53a is disposed so as to face theexcimer lamp 10. The exposedarea 53a is not necessarily fully exposed to the atmosphere. From the viewpoint of corrosion prevention, a thin coating of about 10 to 20 µm, for example, may be applied. - A
thickness 6t of thedielectric member 6 interposed between theconductive portion 53 and the second conductor 8 (seeFig. 11 ) is smaller than a total thickness (twice athickness 11t) that is a sum of thethickness 11t of thedischarge container 11 interposed between thefirst electrode body 21 and thedischarge gas 10G (seeFig. 10 ) and thethickness 11t of thedischarge container 11 interposed between thesecond electrode body 22 and thedischarge gas 10G (a shortest distance) (seeFig. 10 ). This facilitates the occurrence of an atmospheric discharge around theconductive portion 53. - Preferably, the
dielectric member 6 is made of a material that displays high insulation performance, high mechanical strength, and high transmittance to ultraviolet rays. In one example, thedielectric member 6 is made of a ceramic material such as quartz glass and alumina or a resin such as PTFE. - In the ultraviolet
ray generation device 1 according to this embodiment, a voltage is applied between theelectrode bodies first conductor 5 connected to thefirst electrode body 21 and thesecond conductor 8 connected to thesecond electrode body 22. At this time, a distance between theconductive portion 53 of thefirst conductor 5 and thesecond conductor 8 is shorter than a distance between thefirst electrode body 21 and thesecond electrode body 22. Thus, insulation breakdown occurs first at a low voltage between theconductive portion 53 and thesecond conductor 8. This causes a creeping discharge SD along a surface of thedielectric member 6 with the exposedarea 53a of theconductive portion 53 as a starting point. The creeping discharge SD causes an ultraviolet ray L2 to be emitted. A band of wavelengths that the ultraviolet ray L2 has includes 226 to 227 nm. This helps to efficiently assist a light emission operation in a band of wavelengths shorter than 240 nm with a starting discharge. - The ultraviolet ray L2 due to the creeping discharge SD induces excimers to be excited in the discharge space of the excimer lamp 10 (a discharge occurs). Thus, when the ultraviolet ray L2 from the
first conductor 5 enters theexcimer lamp 10 in a state where a voltage is applied to thedischarge gas 10G through theelectrode bodies excimer lamp 10 becomes lit in a short time (e.g., within 0 seconds to 2 seconds) by this optical energy as a trigger. When thedischarge gas 10G contains krypton (Kr) and chlorine (CI), light emitted from theexcimer lamps 10 is ultraviolet rays having a peak wavelength of 222 nm. - As described above, the ultraviolet
ray generation device 1 according to the second embodiment includes theexcimer lamp 10 having thedischarge container 11 in which thedischarge gas 10G is sealed, thefirst electrode body 21 and thesecond electrode body 22 that are disposed so as not to be exposed to thedischarge gas 10G, and thefirst conductor 5 electrically connected to thefirst electrode body 21. Thefirst conductor 5 and thesecond conductor 8 face each other through thedielectric member 6, and thefirst conductor 5 causes an atmospheric discharge (a creeping discharge) around a distal end (the conductive portion 53) of thefirst conductor 5, which is a starting point of the discharge. -
Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the ultravioletray generation device 1 according to another embodiment. In this example, thefirst conductor 5 includes aconductive portion 54 that is disposed so as to face thesecond electrode body 22 through thedielectric member 6. In other words, the ultravioletray generation device 1 does not include asecond conductor 8. - The
conductive portion 54 extends in the +X direction from an end in the +Y direction of the firstconductive layer 52. Theconductive portion 54 extends so as to be planar and face theend face 22a on the -Y side of thesecond electrode body 22. A part of a surface on the -Y side of the conductive portion 54 (referred to as an exposedarea 54a) is exposed to the atmosphere. This, in the same way as the second embodiment above, causes a creeping discharge SD along a surface of thedielectric member 6 with the exposedarea 54a of theconductive portion 54 as a starting point. The creeping discharge SD causes an ultraviolet ray L2 to be emitted. - A third embodiment is similar in configuration to the first embodiment except for components described below. Therefore, descriptions of the common points will be omitted and differences will be primarily described. In the third embodiment, elements having structures or functions (effects) substantially similar to those described in the first embodiment are represented, and descriptions thereof will not be repeated.
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Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an ultravioletray generation device 1 according to the third embodiment. - The ultraviolet
ray generation device 1 includes anexcimer lamp 10 having adischarge container 11 in which adischarge gas 10G is sealed, and afirst electrode body 21 and asecond electrode body 22 that are disposed so as not to be exposed to thedischarge gas 10G. - The
discharge container 11 is long in a direction perpendicular to the drawing plane ofFig. 13 . Thedischarge container 11 has a cross section that is compressed and substantially quadrilateral and has a pair offlat walls - The
first electrode body 21 and thesecond electrode body 22 are disposed on outer surfaces of the pair of theflat walls discharge container 11. Thefirst electrode body 21 is connected to, for example, the high-voltage side of a power source, and thesecond electrode body 22 is connected to, for example, the low-voltage side of the power source. At least one of thefirst electrode body 21 and thesecond electrode body 22 is made of such a material or has such a shape that transmission of ultraviolet rays is allowed or an area impervious to light is small. In this embodiment, thesecond electrode body 22 is made of a metal that has, for example, a mesh shape or a coil shape. On the other hand, thefirst electrode body 21 is a solid electrode. Thefirst electrode body 21 and thesecond electrode body 22 may have such a shape that light is allowed to pass through and may be, for example, electrodes that have slits. - The ultraviolet
ray generation device 1 includes afirst conductor 5 electrically connected to thefirst electrode body 21 and asecond conductor 8 electrically connected to thesecond electrode body 22. Thefirst conductor 5 includes aconductive portion 55 that is disposed so as to face thesecond conductor 8 through adielectric member 6. Theconductive portion 55 extends in a rod shape toward thesecond conductor 8. - The
second conductor 8 includes aplanar portion 8a facing adistal end 55a of theconductive portion 55. Thedielectric member 6 is in the shape of a flat plate and has an area covering a whole of theplanar portion 8a. Thedielectric member 6 is put between thedistal end 55a of thefirst conductor 5 and theplanar portion 8a of thesecond conductor 8. - When a voltage is applied between the
first electrode body 21 and thesecond electrode body 22, a voltage is also applied between thefirst conductor 5 connected to thefirst electrode body 21 and thesecond conductor 8 connected to thesecond electrode body 22. At this time, a distance between thedistal end 55a of theconductive portion 55 and theplanar portion 8a of thesecond conductor 8 is shorter than a distance between thefirst electrode body 21 and thesecond electrode body 22. Thus, insulation breakdown occurs first at a low voltage in a space between thedistal end 55a and theplanar portion 8a, and thefirst conductor 5 causes a corona discharge at thedistal end 55a as a starting point. As a result, an ultraviolet ray L2 is emitted from thedistal end 55a of thefirst conductor 5. - A fourth embodiment is similar in configuration to the third embodiment except for components described below. Therefore, descriptions of the common points will be omitted and differences will be primarily described. In the fourth embodiment, elements having structures or functions (effects) substantially similar to those described in the third embodiment are represented, and descriptions thereof will not be repeated.
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Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an ultravioletray generation device 1 according to the fourth embodiment. - The ultraviolet
ray generation device 1 includes anexcimer lamp 10 having adischarge container 11 in which adischarge gas 10G is sealed, and afirst electrode body 21 and asecond electrode body 22 that are disposed so as not to be exposed to thedischarge gas 10G. - The
discharge container 11 has a double-tube structure that includes tube axes extending parallel to the drawing plane ofFig. 14 . Thedischarge container 11 includes aninner tube 11c and anouter tube 11d disposed so as to surround theinner tube 11c. A space put between theinner tube 11c and theouter tube 11d is filled with adischarge gas 10G. - The
first electrode body 21 is disposed on an inner peripheral wall of theinner tube 11c. Thesecond electrode body 22 is disposed on an outer peripheral wall of theouter tube 11d. Thefirst electrode body 21 is connected to, for example, the high-voltage side of a power source, and thesecond electrode body 22 is connected to, for example, the low-voltage side of the power source. At least thesecond electrode body 22 out of thefirst electrode body 21 and thesecond electrode body 22 is made of such a material or has such a shape that transmission of ultraviolet rays is allowed or an area impervious to light is small. In this embodiment, thesecond electrode body 22 is made of a metal that has, for example, a mesh shape or a coil shape. -
Fig. 16 is a plan view schematically showing electrode bodies (21, 22) according to a fifth embodiment. In this example, afirst conductor 5 is in the shape of a rod having a sharp-pointed distal end part (starting point). Adielectric member 6 has a bottomed tubular shape. However, in this example, unlike the example shown inFig. 7 , thedielectric member 6 is held only by thesecond electrode body 22. -
Fig. 17 is a plan view and a side view each schematically showing electrode bodies (21, 22) according to a sixth embodiment. In this example, afirst conductor 5 has a U shape in the side view and is partly in contact with thefirst electrode body 21. Adielectric member 6 has a plate shape extending in the Y direction and is put inside the U-shapedfirst conductor 5. Thedielectric member 6 is held by being put between thefirst conductor 5 and either thefirst electrode body 21 or thesecond electrode body 22 on both sides. -
Fig. 18 is a plan view and a side view each schematically showing electrode bodies (21, 22) according to a seventh embodiment. In this example, adielectric member 6 has a tubular shape with opened both ends, and afirst conductor 5 is inserted into thedielectric member 6. In this way, the dielectric member may have a tubular shape with opened both ends, whereas the dielectric member may have a tubular shape with closed one end as shown inFig. 7 . -
Fig. 19 is a side view schematically showing electrode bodies (21, 22) according to an eighth embodiment. In this example, afirst conductor 5 and asecond conductor 8 are disposed as two start assist electrodes. In other words, thefirst conductor 5 being connected to thefirst electrode body 21 and extending toward thesecond electrode body 22 and thesecond conductor 8 being connected to thesecond electrode body 22 and extending toward thefirst electrode body 21 are disposed. Adielectric member 6 is interposed between thefirst conductor 5 and thesecond electrode body 22 and between thefirst conductor 5 and thesecond conductor 8. In this example, at least a part of thefirst conductor 5 is housed in thedielectric member 6 that is tubular. It is desirable that a distal end part (starting point) of a conductive portion of at least one of thefirst conductor 5 and thesecond conductor 8 is disposed between thefirst electrode body 21 and thesecond electrode body 22. A plurality of thedielectric members 6 may be used such that thedielectric members 6 are interposed between thefirst conductor 5 and thesecond conductor 8 and between thefirst conductor 5 and thesecond conductor 8, respectively. -
Fig. 20 is a plan view schematically showing electrode bodies (21, 22) according to a ninth embodiment. In this example, adielectric member 6 has a bottomed tubular shape. Afirst conductor 5 is connected to thefirst electrode body 21 and extends toward thesecond electrode body 22. A distal end part (starting point) of thefirst conductor 5 is pressed against a bottom part of thedielectric member 6. Asecond conductor 8 connected to thesecond electrode body 22 is wound in a coil shape around a bottom side of thedielectric member 6. - Other configurations described below may be adopted.
- (1)
Fig. 21 is a schematic view showing thefirst conductor 5 and thedielectric member 6 according to another embodiment. In this example, thefirst conductor 5 includes aproximal part 5a in the shape of a spring and adistal part 5b in the shape of a spring. Thefirst conductor 5 is compose of a single coiled spring, and pitch of thedistal part 5b is wider than pitch of theproximal part 5a. - (2)
Fig. 22 is a schematic view showing thefirst conductor 5 and thedielectric member 6 according to another embodiment. In this example, unlike the example shown inFig. 7 , thedielectric member 6 is shaped so as to be airtight with closed both ends. An atmospheric gas or a nitrogen gas, which is a main ingredient in the atmosphere, for example, is sealed inside thedielectric member 6. An inside of thedielectric member 6 may have a negative pressure from the viewpoint of further improvement of startability. - (3)
Fig. 23 is a schematic view showing thefirst conductor 5 and thedielectric member 6 according to another embodiment. In this example, no space exists inside thedielectric member 6, which is in close contact with thedistal part 5b of thefirst conductor 5. This can cause an atmospheric discharge on an outside surface of thedielectric member 6 at a place close to a distal end part (starting point) of thefirst conductor 5. - (4) The
first conductor 5 according to the present invention may be a member independent of the electrode bodies (21, 22) or may be integrated with any of the electrode bodies. - (5) It is desirable that a starting point of the
first conductor 5 according to the present invention is disposed at a position facing thedischarge container 11 of theexcimer lamp 10. This allows ultraviolet rays generated at the starting point of thefirst conductor 5 to readily reach the discharge space inside theexcimer lamp 10 without being shielded and excitation of excimers to be readily induced in the discharge space (an electric discharge is ready to occur). In this case, a member that transmits ultraviolet rays may be interposed between thedischarge container 11 of the excimer lamp and the starting point. It is more desirable to have a configuration in which any interposition does not exist between thedischarge container 11 and the starting point from the viewpoint of introducing ultraviolet rays in a band of short wavelengths to thedischarge container 11 without being attenuated. - (6) It is desirable that a starting point of the
first conductor 5 according to the present invention is disposed at a position close to thedischarge container 11 of theexcimer lamp 10. This allows slight ultraviolet rays that are generated at the starting point of thefirst conductor 5 and that are in a band of short wavelengths to readily reach the discharge space inside theexcimer lamp 10 and excitation of excimers to be readily induced in the discharge space (an electric discharge is ready to occur). Specifically, the distance between thedischarge container 11 of theexcimer lamp 10 and the starting point is less than 30 mm. In addition, the distance is desirably less than or equal to 20 mm and is desirably less than or equal to 15 mm. - Hereinafter, examples which specifically show a construction and effect of the present invention will be described below. An ultraviolet ray irradiation device having the following specifications was prepared and designated as an example. A
first conductor 5 and adielectric member 6 were made to have the configuration shown inFig. 16 . - Material = quartz glass, outer diameter = 6 mm, total length = 60 mm
- Gas Pressure: 20 kPa, gas type: a mixed gas of Cl and Kr
-
- Material = aluminum
- Length = 60 mm, inter-electrode distance = 6 mm
- Voltage: 5 kV, frequency: 100 kHz
-
- Material = aluminum
- Width = 1.5 mm, thickness = 0.1 mm, length = 25 mm
- Outer shape = 3 mm, inner diameter = 1.6 mm, length = 5 mm, thickness = 1.4 mm
- The ultraviolet ray irradiation device that was not provided with a start assist electrode and a dielectric substance was designated as Comparative example 1. The ultraviolet ray irradiation device that was, as shown in
Fig. 24 , provided with anLED 9 as a start assist light source rather than being provided with a start assist electrode and a dielectric substance was designated as Comparative example 2. TheLED 9 emits ultraviolet rays having a wavelength of 275 nm. - In each of the examples, a voltage was applied between the electrodes under the inverter conditions described above, and the excimer lamp was lit for 8500 hours. Tests were conducted on the excimer lamp to evaluate start ability. In each of the examples, 10 startability tests were conducted, and startability was evaluated using an average value of periods of time (start-up delay time) taken until the excimer lamp was lit following the start of application of the voltage. Table 1 shows results of the example, and Table 2 shows results of Comparative example 2. In Table 1, a case in which the excimer lamp was lit in 1 second or less was recoded as 0 second.
[Table 1] Start-up delay time [s] 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 2 2 1 0 1 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 1 1 1 2 0 Average start-up delay time: 1.1 seconds [Table 2] Start-up delay time [s] 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 21 75 123 21 13 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 113 19 5 18 51 Average start-up delay time: 45.9 seconds - In the example, as shown in Table 1, the average start-up delay time was 1.1 seconds. In Comparative example 1, the excimer lamp was not lit even in 60 seconds. In Comparative example 2, as shown in Table 2, the average start-up delay time was 45.9 seconds. In other words, the ultraviolet ray irradiation device according to the present invention provided substantially improved startability.
-
- 1
- Ultraviolet ray generation device
- 5
- First conductor
- 5a
- Proximal part
- 5b
- Distal part
- 5c
- Distal end
- 6
- Dielectric member
- 8
- Second conductor
- 8a
- Planar portion
- 10
- Excimer lamp
- 10G
- Discharge gas
- 11
- Discharge container
- 21
- First electrode body
- 22
- Second electrode body
- 53
- Conductive portion
- 53a
- Exposed area
- 54
- Conductive portion
- 54a
- Exposed area
- 55
- Conductive portion
- 55a
- Distal end
- L1
- Ultraviolet ray
- L2
- Ultraviolet ray
- SD
- Creeping discharge
Claims (8)
- An ultraviolet ray generation device comprising:an excimer lamp having a discharge container in which a discharge gas is sealed;a first electrode body and a second electrode body that are disposed so as not to be exposed to the discharge gas; anda first conductor electrically connected to one of the first electrode body and the second electrode body,whereinthe first conductor has a portion facing an other electrode body or a second conductor electrically connected to the other electrode body, through a dielectric member, andthe first conductor causes an atmospheric discharge around the first conductor.
- The ultraviolet ray generation device according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric member is a member distinct from the discharge container.
- The ultraviolet ray generation device according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the dielectric member interposed between the first conductor and either the other electrode body or the second conductor is smaller than a sum of a thickness of the discharge container interposed between the first electrode body and the discharge gas and a thickness of the discharge container interposed between the second electrode body and the discharge gas.
- The ultraviolet ray generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first conductor is made of at least one conductive material selected from aurum, platinum, tungsten, titanium, aluminum, and stainless steel or an alloy of the conductive material.
- The ultraviolet ray generation device according to claim 4, wherein the first conductor is made of at least one conductive material selected from aurum, platinum, and tungsten or an alloy of the conductive material.
- The ultraviolet ray generation device according to claim 1, whereinthe first conductor extends in a rod shape toward the other electrode body or the second conductor, andthe first conductor causes an atmospheric discharge at a distal end of the first conductor as a starting point.
- The ultraviolet ray generation device according to claim 6, wherein the second conductor comprises a planar portion facing the distal end of the first conductor.
- The ultraviolet ray generation device according to claim 1, whereinthe first conductor extends so as to be planar and face the other electrode body or the second conductor, andthe first conductor causes a creeping discharge along a surface of the dielectric member with a distal end of the first conductor as a starting point.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP2021069570A JP2022164223A (en) | 2021-04-16 | 2021-04-16 | Ultraviolet light irradiation device |
PCT/JP2022/017928 WO2022220296A1 (en) | 2021-04-16 | 2022-04-15 | Ultraviolet ray generation device |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP4325547A1 true EP4325547A1 (en) | 2024-02-21 |
Family
ID=83742955
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP22788219.8A Pending EP4325547A1 (en) | 2021-04-16 | 2022-04-15 | Ultraviolet ray generation device |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
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EP (1) | EP4325547A1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2022164223A (en) |
CN (1) | CN117083693A (en) |
-
2021
- 2021-04-16 JP JP2021069570A patent/JP2022164223A/en active Pending
-
2022
- 2022-04-15 EP EP22788219.8A patent/EP4325547A1/en active Pending
- 2022-04-15 CN CN202280025071.XA patent/CN117083693A/en active Pending
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JP2022164223A (en) | 2022-10-27 |
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