Fast capillary discharge experiments in a small device. Spectra in the VUV region

Experiments in a small and fast capillary discharge were performed. Millimeters capillaries with centimeters length were used. The discharge was operated in argon, with a cathode pressure of 300–900 mtorr. The system works with differential vacuum, thus the anode pressure is around five to ten times less than the cathode pressure. Experiments in capillaries with 0.8 and 1.5mm internal diameter, and 8 to 40mm were performed. For an applied voltage of 10 to 15kV, a peak current of 3 to 5 kA with a rise time of 2 to 5 ns is obtained (∼10¹² to 5×10¹¹ A/s). In addition to usual electrical diagnostics, time resolved spectra in the region of 30 to 100 nm have been obtained. The Ar-IX (46.9nm) line was detected.