JP2001217090A - Driving method of rare gas excumer lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a driving method of a gas excimer lamp in which a lamp efficiency is improved by increasing vacuum ultraviolet light generated from excimer in a comparatively short span of time by a plurality of discharges and heat generation from the lamp is lessened. SOLUTION: A rare gas exciter lamp utilizing light emission from excimer generated by discharge through dielectric barrier with a rare gas with xenon as a main ingredient sealed in a discharge vessel consisting of a dielectric, is driven by separating time-wise various discharge energies according to periodic lamp voltage waveforms. With the above waveforms, if first peak strength is set to h1 and a peak strength after time t1 to h1 the following formula holds good as at least two peak emission strengths of admitted light within the area of 800 nm to 1,100 nm emitted by the above discharge in the above lamp waveforms. 0.5 μs<t1<3.4 σ also, h2, h1, or, h1>2×h2, besides, 0.5 μs<t1<2.0 μs.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rare gas excimer lamp for cleaning semiconductor wafers and liquid crystal substrate glass using vacuum ultraviolet light from an excimer generated by discharge through a dielectric barrier, The present invention relates to a method of driving a rare gas excimer lamp that converts ultraviolet light into visible light and uses the converted light for document illumination in information devices such as facsimile machines, copiers, and image readers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With respect to a driving method of a rare gas excimer lamp, a lighting device with higher lamp efficiency than conventional sine wave lighting is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 10-223384. JP-A-10-22338
No. 4, in the paragraph [0010], following the discharge B,
If the discharge C occurs after an extremely short time t _2, the discharge B
It is described that the excited species of xenon generated in step (1) are destroyed by the subsequent discharge C together with the excimer generated in the process of generating the excimer. However, the case where the next discharge occurs after a short time after one discharge is often seen practically, and improvement of the conversion efficiency in such a case has been demanded. Here, the conversion efficiency is the conversion efficiency of the power input to the lamp into excimer light emission. Except for conversion into the excimer light, the lamp input almost generates heat such as loss in the dielectric and Joule heat of the discharge.

Normally, the emission of rare gas excimers appears in the vacuum ultraviolet region, and this heat is generated in the vacuum ultraviolet region of quartz glass in cleaning and surface modification of semiconductor wafers and the like using quartz glass for the discharge vessel. However, there is a problem that the intensity of vacuum ultraviolet light is reduced due to the decrease in the transmittance in the above, and as a result, the cleaning speed is reduced. Also in the light source for document illumination, the heat generated by the lamp causes the phenomenon of temperature quenching of the phosphor used for the lamp, and the temperature of the platen glass on which the document is set rises, causing thermal deterioration of the document and welding of the document to the platen glass. Was a problem. For this reason, it has conventionally been necessary to sacrifice the required light amount by suppressing the lamp input in order to suppress heat generation.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object the following:
Provided is a method for driving a rare gas excimer lamp in which the amount of vacuum ultraviolet light generated from excimers generated by a plurality of discharges in a relatively short time is increased to improve lamp efficiency and reduce heat generation from the lamp. It is in.

[0005]

In order to solve this problem, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a rare gas mainly composed of xenon is sealed in a discharge vessel made of a dielectric, and the discharge vessel is made to pass through a dielectric barrier. A method of driving a lamp by supplying a rare gas excimer lamp utilizing light emission from an excimer generated by a discharge by separating each main discharge energy with time by a periodic lamp voltage waveform, and driving the lamp by the discharge. For at least two infrared emission intensity peaks corresponding to the temporal change of the total amount of radiation in the range from 800 nm to 1100 nm, the intensity of the first peak in time is represented by h.
_1, and the intensity of the peak after t ₁ hour is h ₂ ,
A driving method for a rare gas excimer lamp, wherein 0.5 μs <t ₁ <3.4 μs and h ₂ > h ₁ is satisfied.

A second aspect of the present invention is a rare gas excimer lamp in which a rare gas mainly composed of xenon is sealed in a discharge vessel made of a dielectric material and light emission from an excimer generated by discharge through a dielectric barrier is used. A method of driving a lamp by temporally separating and supplying each main discharge energy by a periodic lamp voltage waveform, wherein the time of the total amount of radiation in the region from 800 nm to 1100 nm radiated by the discharge is For at least two infrared emission intensity peaks corresponding to various changes, the intensity of the first peak in time is represented by h
_1, and the intensity of the peak after t ₁ hour is h ₂ ,
0.5 μs <t ₁ <2.0 μs and h ₁ > 2 × h ₂
A method for driving a rare gas fluorescent lamp, characterized in that:

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the rare gas excimer lamp is a lamp in which a phosphor is disposed inside a discharge vessel and an aperture portion for extracting light is provided. 2. A method for driving a rare gas excimer lamp according to item 2.

[0008]

Before describing the operation of the present invention, the emission mechanism of emitted light in the range from 800 nm to 1100 nm will be described with reference to FIG. Most of the light emission in this region is attributed to the transition from the xenon atom. Therefore, even in the case of a mixture with a rare gas other than xenon, for example, helium, neon, argon, krypton, etc., the emission in this region may be regarded as dominant by the transition from xenon atoms. Here, in the emission light in the range of 800 nm to 1100 nm, electrons in the discharge plasma collide with xenon atoms,
The xenon atom corresponds to light emitted when the xenon atom is in a high excited state and transitions from the high excited state to the low excited state.

The xenon atom in the low excited state collides twice with another ground state xenon atom, whereby
Produces xenon excimer molecules and immediately produces 152 nm
And emits a vacuum ultraviolet light in the vicinity of 172 nm. That is,
By monitoring the emitted light from the xenon atom in the region from 800 nm to 1100 nm, it is possible to indirectly gain knowledge about the generation of vacuum ultraviolet light. There are many scientific literatures on this point, for example, E
liasonson and U. Kogelschatz
(Appl. Phys. B46, 299, 1988).

The present inventors have found that 80 xenon atoms
By observing the emission peak intensity of the emitted light in the region from 0 nm to 1100 nm and the time resolution thereof, vacuum ultraviolet light is efficiently generated even when one discharge is generated and the next discharge is generated after a short time. I found that there were conditions. As a result, according to the first aspect of the present invention, from 800 nm to 1100 nm radiated by the discharge.
For at least two infrared emission intensity peaks corresponding to the temporal change in the total amount of radiation in the region of
Assuming that the intensity of the first peak is h ₁ and the intensity of the peak after time t ₁ is h ₂ , h ₂ > h ₁ and 0.5 μs <t ₁
By setting it to be less than 3.4 μs, excimer molecules are predominantly generated from the next peak within the time when excimer molecules are generated by the first peak. For this reason, the rate of destruction of the excimer molecules being generated by high-energy electrons due to the first peak can be reduced, and the amount of excimer molecules generated can be further increased.As a result, the discharge energy is reduced by the vacuum from the excimer molecules. It can be efficiently converted to ultraviolet light.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, at least two infrared emission intensity peaks corresponding to a temporal change of a total amount of radiation in a region from 800 nm to 1100 nm emitted by discharge are temporally changed. The intensity of the first peak is defined as h ₁ and the intensity of the peak after t ₁ hour is defined as h ₂
Where h ₁ > 2 × h ₂ and 0.5 μs <t ₁ <
By setting the time to 2.0 μs, the excimer molecule is generated from the next peak within the time when the excimer molecule is predominantly generated by the first peak. Then, the first peak reduces the rate at which excimer molecules are being generated are destroyed by high-energy electrons,
The reduction of excimer molecules can be suppressed, and as a result, discharge energy can be efficiently converted into vacuum ultraviolet light from excimer molecules.

Incidentally, the locations of the discharges in the discharge vessel which generate the respective luminescence intensity peaks corresponding to the radiated light from the xenon atom in the region from 800 nm to 1100 nm from the xenon atoms are not necessarily the same. For example, a discharge generating an initial peak may be mainly generated near one electrode, and a discharge generating a subsequent peak may be generated near an electrode facing the electrode. In other words, spatially,
Although the location where each peak is generated may be different, the present invention is effective even if there is such a difference in the spatial generation location.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the rare gas excimer lamp is a lamp in which a phosphor is disposed inside a discharge vessel and an aperture portion for extracting light is provided. According to the second aspect of the present invention, a method for driving a rare gas fluorescent lamp, which is a highly efficient original reading light source that does not contain mercury, converts vacuum ultraviolet light from excimer molecules generated efficiently into visible light using a phosphor, extracts the light from an aperture, and outputs the light. Can be realized.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In order to estimate the conversion efficiency from electric energy to vacuum ultraviolet light by excimer molecules,
First, the electrical energy entering the lamp must be estimated. Generally, lamps using dielectric barrier discharge are:
Since at least one of the electrodes is in contact with the discharge space via the dielectric, the discharge is simply performed from the lamp current, lamp voltage, cathode drop voltage, anode drop voltage, etc., as in a normal lamp having a pair of electrodes in the discharge vessel. You cannot estimate the input to.

Therefore, a method of obtaining the lamp input power by the VQ Lissajous method is generally applied in this type of discharge mode. An outline of this method is shown in FIG. T
Reference numeral 1 denotes a transformer, and C1 denotes an integration capacitor having a capacitance Cm. First, the accumulated charge Q (Q = Cm) of C1 obtained from the voltage VL across the lamp and the voltage Vq across C1.
× Vq), a Lissajous figure as shown in FIG. 7 is obtained. The horizontal axis is the voltage VL across the lamp, and the vertical axis is the accumulated charge Q of the integrating capacitor. The area S of the Lissajous figure (hatched portion in the figure) corresponds to the energy consumption per one cycle of the ramp voltage waveform. Here, assuming that the lamp lighting frequency is f, the lamp power consumption P can be calculated by P = S × f. The magnitude of Cm is set so as to be about VL: Vq = 1000: 1, and care is taken so as not to greatly affect the lamp voltage waveform. The lamp power P includes energy consumption due to the dielectric loss of the lamp, but its occupying ratio is small, and there is no particular problem in explaining the effects of the present invention.

In this method, the measured values vary depending on the measuring instruments used, such as an oscilloscope and a high-voltage probe, so that the absolute value is not strict. However, if the same measuring system is used, each lamp input is regarded as a relative value. It is sufficiently comparable and widely used. For example, it is used for estimating the power of each minute cell of an AC-PDP (plasma display panel) that discharges through the same dielectric barrier as in the present invention. (Tanda et al., Electronology A, 119, 31 (199
9))

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the rare gas fluorescent lamp to which the present invention is applied, which is perpendicular to the tube axis direction. 2 is a discharge vessel, 3 is a phosphor layer, 4 and 4 'are electrodes, 5 is a discharge space, and 6 is an aperture. The rare gas fluorescent lamp 1 shown in FIG. 2 was turned on, and the emission spectrum obtained at that time is shown in FIG. In this example, the phosphor is LaP
O ₄ : Ce ⁺³ , Tb ⁺³ (hereinafter abbreviated as LAP) was used. Here, 185 nm and 254 from general mercury
In the case of a fluorescent lamp utilizing nm, Ce ⁺³ plays an important role in transferring energy to Tb ⁺³ during light emission as a co-activator, but in the case of vacuum ultraviolet light near 172 nm, T ⁺
Since b ⁺³ directly absorbs vacuum ultraviolet light, it is not necessarily Ce
^Does not require ⁺³ . In fact, even if the molar concentration of Ce ⁺³ was minimized or eliminated, more efficient visible light emission was obtained at 172 nm.

In FIG. 3, light emission from the LAP phosphor is observed in the vicinity of 500 nm to 600 nm.
Some peak groups P are observed as small as m to 1100 nm. FIG. 4 is an enlarged spectrum diagram in the vicinity of 800 nm to 1100 nm. Most of these peaks are attributed to the transition of the xenon atom, which is a transition from a high excitation level of xenon to a low excitation level. This point is shown in FIG.
It is as shown also in the inside.

The present inventors have proposed that these 800 nm to 1100
Attention was paid to the emission light of nm, and the time-resolved analysis of the spectrum in the range of 800 nm to 1100 nm in various lamp driving systems was performed. FIG. 6 shows a measurement system at that time. As the lamp, the rare gas fluorescent lamp 1 of FIG. 2 was used. Since the above-mentioned LAP phosphor was applied to the lamp, the illuminance was also measured simultaneously with the illuminometer.

For observation of radiation light of 800 nm to 1100 nm, a module (hereinafter abbreviated as MD, manufactured by Hamamatsu Photonics, manufactured by Hamamatsu Photonics, Inc.) using an avalanche photodiode (hereinafter, abbreviated as APD, manufactured by Hamamatsu Photonics Co., Ltd.) C5331) was used. 9 is an oscilloscope and 10 is a lighting circuit. FIG. 8 is an example of the spectral sensitivity characteristics of the used APD.

Next, in order to avoid visible light from the phosphor, an infrared light transmitting filter (hereinafter abbreviated as IRF, manufactured by Sigma Koki Co., Ltd., model: TF-5) is provided between the lamp 1 and the APD.
0S-76IR). FIG. 9 is an example of the spectral transmittance of the IRF. With this measurement system, FIG.
To determine the lamp input of various driving methods, observe the time resolution of the infrared (hereinafter IR) spectrum, and measure the illuminance of visible light with an illuminometer (hereinafter abbreviated as LM, manufactured by Minolta Camera, model: T-1M) Illuminance / lamp input was used as an index of lamp efficiency as illuminance efficiency [Lx / W], and evaluation was performed.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the time-resolved IR radiation intensity of 800 nm to 1100 nm observed at the time of the above evaluation. FIG. 10 (a)
In, a low IR peak appears first, and a large IR peak appears after t ₁ hour. In (b), a large IR peak appears first, and a small IR peak appears after time t ₁ . In some cases, a plurality of IR peaks appear as shown in (c) and (d). However, attention is paid to the peaks A and B where the main discharge energy is supplied to the lamp. As described above, the effect of the present invention can be sufficiently confirmed even when the peak having a small intensity and a broad peak is not taken into consideration.

[0023]

EXAMPLE An IR peak was investigated for various lighting circuits and lamps by the measurement system of FIG. FIG.
1 shows an embodiment of a lighting circuit used in the present invention. FIG. 11A shows an example of a circuit using the flyback method. T2 is a transformer, Q1 is a switching element,
PC is a pulse control system. Impedance Z ranges from infinity (ie floating) to zero (ground)
Up to a resistor, a coil, and a capacitor as appropriate.

FIG. 11 (b) shows a self-excited sine wave lighting circuit which has been widely used in the past for a comparative example. R1 and R2 are resistors, Q2 and Q3 are switching elements, C2 is a capacitor, T3 is a transformer, and Z is the same as described above.

Next, the lighting lamp was mainly tested with the rare gas fluorescent lamp 1 shown in FIG. 2, but the present invention can be applied to other lamps. The lamp of FIG. 12A has a discharge space 5 in a double cylindrical tube as shown in a sectional view in the tube axis direction, and has electrodes 7, 7 '.
Is an excimer lamp which is disposed on the outer surface of the discharge vessel 2 with the discharge space 5 interposed therebetween, and the discharge vessel 2 is made of synthetic quartz glass. In the lamp of FIG. 12B, one electrode 8 is provided on the central axis of the discharge vessel 2, and the electrode 8 is configured to directly contact the excimer gas or to contact the excimer gas via a dielectric, and the other electrode 8 contacts the excimer gas. This is an excimer lamp in which an electrode 8 'is disposed outside the discharge vessel 2. The lamp of FIG. 12C is an excimer lamp of a type in which an electrode 4 'is provided on the inner surface of the discharge vessel 2 and an electrode 4 is provided on the outer surface of the glass tube. The same applies to these lamps. The effect can be expected.

FIG. 13 shows a specific example of an infrared light waveform according to claim 1 of the present invention. An IR intensity peak appears at the rising and falling of the periodic ramp voltage waveform. That is, each main discharge energy is supplied temporally separated by a periodic lamp voltage waveform. The used lamp is the rare gas fluorescent lamp 1 shown in FIG. 2. More specifically, the discharge vessel 2 is a lead glass having a tube diameter of φ8 and a thickness of 0.5 mm, and has a total length of 360 mm. On the inner wall of the discharge vessel 2, a phosphor layer 3 of a LAP phosphor is formed with a thickness of about 50 μm. Reference numeral 6 denotes an aperture on which the phosphor layer 3 is not formed. The filling gas filled in the discharge space 5 was 13.3 kPa of xenon. However, if the input of the driving circuit is selected, the excimer light output becomes remarkable at 8K.
It is easy to manufacture the lamp without pressure from around Pa10
Stable discharge is possible up to about 1.1 kPa. Further, mixing with other rare gases is also possible.

Although the electrode 4 is bonded with an aluminum tape, it may be formed by printing a silver paste or the like. This lamp was turned on according to FIG. As described above, this circuit is generally called a flyback system.
The IR peak was observed as an output waveform of the APD by the measurement system shown in FIG. In this example, the lighting frequency at which the main discharge occurs is 72 kHz, and the time between two IR peaks is 2.
8 μs, the average of the height ratio of the first IR peak and the next IR peak was 2: 5.

Next, the same lamp shown in FIG. 2 was turned on by changing the circuit constant, the winding ratio of the transformer, the frequency and the like in the same circuit configuration of FIG. 11A.
FIG. 14 shows the results. Also in FIG. 14, an IR peak was observed as an APD output waveform. In this example, the lighting frequency at which main discharge occurs is 60 kHz, the time between the two IR peaks is 0.9 μs, and the average of the height ratio of the first peak and the next peak is 5: 1.2. .

The output waveform of the APD was also observed for a sine wave which has been widely used in the past. FIG.
5 shows a ramp voltage waveform and an IR waveform according to a driving method of applying a sine wave voltage waveform. Lighting frequency is 25kHz
It is. In the case of a sine wave, a continuous IR spectrum was observed in the region where the voltage change was maximum (N in the figure), and the position of the maximum peak was not particularly regular in the repeated waveform.

In the flyback method described above, the lamp shown in FIG. 2 is driven by changing the circuit constant, the winding ratio of the transformer, and the like, and the lamp efficiency [Lx / W] is determined from the lamp input power and the illuminance measured by the illuminometer. Then, the relationship with h ₁ , h ₂ , and t ₁ was investigated. FIG. 16 shows I for the flyback method.
The relationship between the R peak and the lamp efficiency and the relationship between the sine wave method and the lamp efficiency are summarized in a table. The data in the table of FIG. 16 indicates that the primary-side input voltage is DC at an ambient temperature of 26 ° C.
The measurement was unified to 24V. In this table, a radiation thermometer (manufactured by Keyence Corporation, model: IT2-202, model: I
The tube wall temperature of the lamp measured according to T2-50) is also shown. No. in the table. The example of No. 1 is the driving condition shown as an example of the related art. 2, No. 3, No. The driving condition No. 4 is the driving condition shown in the embodiment of the first aspect.
5, no. 6, no. Reference numeral 7 denotes the driving condition shown in the second embodiment.

In a series of experiments including FIG.
h₁, H_TwoAnd t₁For h₁<H _TwoIn Case of,
IR peak and lamp efficiency are t₁Is 3.4 μs or more
Is the intensity between the IR peaks that fluctuate in time and the lamp efficiency
Did not find a clear causal relationship. Therefore, t₁of
The upper limit was set to a region shorter than 3.4 μs. This is
It is also disclosed in FIG. 7 of Kaihei 10-223384.
However, when the discharge interval is 3.4 μs or more, the illuminance efficiency
It is related to that [Lx / W] is almost constant.
Inferred.

Next, regarding the IR peak and the lamp efficiency,
The condition that h ₁ > 2 × h ₂ cannot be realized by the current transformer and pulse control system when t ₁ is 2.0 μs or more. Therefore, the upper limit of t ₁ is set to 2.0 μs. Investigation into the direction in which t ₁ becomes shorter shows that in the lamp of FIG. 2 used recently, in the case of h ₁ <h _{2 and in} the case of h ₁ > 2 × h _2, a plurality of IR peaks are observed at 0.5 μs or less. I couldn't find a case to appear. That is, t ₁ is 0.5 μs
In the following areas, as a discharge condition for this type of lamp, it is necessary to distinguish whether at most about one discharge occurs, or even if a plurality of different discharges occur in the discharge space in this time domain, It is presumed that it is difficult to confirm the effect. Therefore, the IR peak h ₁
In the case of <case and h ₁ of h _{2> 2} × h _2, the lower limit of t _1, it was found that amount may be 0.5μs larger region.

Regarding the IR peak, in the table of FIG. In example 1, under the condition of h ₁ > h ₂ , when 2 × h ₂ ≧ h ₁ , the lamp efficiency is significantly reduced. This is probably because the proportion of the majority of the excimer produced in the discharge involving the peak of h ₁ is destroyed by the electric discharge involved in the peak of h ₂ is large, contributing to the vacuum ultraviolet light generated by excimer remaining in h ₂ .
From the above, the condition of h ₁ > 2 × h ₂ was considered to be suitable in terms of lamp efficiency. FIG. 17 shows an IR peak as an APD output waveform of an example of this prior art. In this example, the lighting frequency at which the main discharge occurs was 98 kHz, the time between the two IR peaks was 0.8 μs, and the average of the height ratio of the first IR peak and the next IR peak was 6: 3.4.

Next, the lamp wall temperature of the lamp will be described. FIG. 16 shows that the lamp tube wall temperature is substantially determined by the lamp input power and the lamp efficiency. Therefore, in order to obtain the same illuminance, the higher the lamp efficiency, the lower the lamp input power, and as a result, the lamp tube wall temperature can be suppressed. That is, h ₂ > h ₁ and 0.5 μs
<T ₁ <3.4 μs or h ₁ > 2 × h ₂ and 0.5
When μs <t ₁ <2.0 μs, the lamp efficiency is good,
The tube wall temperature of the lamp can be suppressed. Here, FIG.
In the example of the driving method according to 1 (b), although many IR outputs are observed, radiation is continuously emitted temporally, so that an excimer is not efficiently generated, and illuminance efficiency is poor. It is considered that the heat generation of the lamp increases.

According to the present invention, the amount of vacuum ultraviolet light generated from excimers generated by a plurality of discharges in a relatively short time can be increased, and the lamp wall temperature can be lowered. Further, in the present invention, the relationship has been described with respect to infrared emission of excited species of xenon. However, the technical idea of the present invention can be applied to krypton, argon, neon, and the like.

[0036]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, in one cycle of the lamp voltage waveform, 800 nm to 1100 nm from xenon atoms radiated by discharge.
For at least two emission intensity peaks of emitted light in the region of nm, the first peak produces the excimer molecule because the excimer molecule is predominantly produced from the next peak within the time that the excimer molecule is produced. The rate at which the excimer molecules are destroyed by high-energy electrons on the way is kept low, and the amount of excimer molecules generated can be further increased. As a result, discharge energy can be efficiently converted into vacuum ultraviolet light from the excimer molecules. it can.
Therefore, it is possible to provide a lamp driving method suitable for cleaning, surface modification, and as a light source for document illumination.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in one cycle of the lamp voltage waveform, at least two emission intensity peaks corresponding to the emission light in the region of 800 nm to 1100 nm from the xenon atoms emitted by the discharge, To reduce the rate at which excimer molecules are generated from the next peak during the time during which excimer molecules are predominantly generated by the first peak, and are destroyed by high-energy electrons of the excimer molecules being generated by the first peak. Thus, a decrease in excimer molecules can be suppressed, and as a result, discharge energy can be efficiently converted into vacuum ultraviolet light from the excimer molecules. therefore,
A lamp driving method suitable for cleaning, surface modification, and as a light source for document illumination can be provided.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the vacuum ultraviolet light from the efficiently generated excimer molecules is converted into visible light by a phosphor, extracted from the aperture, and is a rare gas which is a highly efficient original reading light source containing no mercury. A method for driving a fluorescent lamp can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a circuit diagram for determining lamp input power in the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a rare gas fluorescent lamp to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 shows an example of an emission spectrum of the rare gas fluorescent lamp shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the emission spectrum in the infrared region shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 shows an energy level diagram of a xenon atom.

FIG. 6 shows a measurement system for analyzing time-resolved emission spectrum in the infrared region.

FIG. 7 shows the measurement results of the VQ Lissajous method.

FIG. 8 shows a spectral sensitivity characteristic of an APD.

FIG. 9 shows the spectral transmittance of IRF.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a time-resolved emission radiation intensity in an infrared region.

FIG. 11 shows several examples of a lighting circuit according to the present invention.

FIG. 12 shows several examples of lamps to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 13 shows an example of an infrared light waveform and a lamp voltage waveform according to claim 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 14 shows an example of an infrared light waveform and a lamp voltage waveform according to claim 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 15 shows an example of an infrared light waveform and a lamp voltage waveform according to a driving method of applying a sine wave voltage waveform.

FIG. 16 shows a relationship between an IR spectrum and a lamp efficiency for each driving method.

FIG. 1 shows an example of an infrared light waveform and a lamp voltage waveform relating to No. 1.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Rare gas fluorescent lamp 2 Discharge vessel 3 Phosphor layer 4, 4 'electrode 5 Discharge space 6 Aperture part 7, 7' electrode 8, 8 'electrode 9 Oscilloscope 10 Lighting circuit T1, T2, T3 Transformer lamp Lamp C1 Integration condenser C2 Capacitor Q1, Q2, Q3 Switching element R1, R2 Resistance Z impedance PC Pulse control system

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A rare gas excimer lamp that encloses a rare gas mainly composed of xenon in a discharge vessel made of a dielectric and uses light emitted from an excimer generated by a discharge through a dielectric barrier. A method of driving a lamp by supplying each main discharge energy in a time-separated manner according to a lamp voltage waveform, wherein the main discharge energy corresponds to a temporal change of a total amount of radiation in a range of 800 nm to 1100 nm radiated to the discharge. Regarding at least two infrared emission intensity peaks, h ₂ > h ₁ and 0.5 μs, where h ₁ is the intensity of the first peak in time and h ₂ is the intensity of the peak after time t _1.
<T ₁ <3.4 μs, a method for driving a rare gas excimer lamp. 2. A rare gas excimer lamp that encloses a rare gas mainly composed of xenon in a discharge vessel made of a dielectric and uses light emitted from an excimer generated by discharge through a dielectric barrier. A method of driving a lamp by temporally supplying each main discharge energy according to a lamp voltage waveform and driving the lamp, wherein 800 nm to 1100 nm emitted by the discharge
For at least two infrared light emitting intensity peak corresponding to the temporal change of the total amount of radiation in the region, temporally the intensity of the first peak and h _1, the intensity of the peak of ₁ hour after t and h ₂ when it is, h _{1> 2} × h 2 and 0.5μs <t ₁
<2.0 μs, a method for driving a rare gas excimer lamp. 3. The rare gas excimer lamp according to claim 1, wherein the rare gas excimer lamp is a lamp in which a phosphor is disposed inside a discharge vessel and an aperture portion for extracting light is provided. Driving method of gas excimer lamp.