Abstract

An intense Hopfield continuum having relatively stable average intensity with time, few superimposed emission lines, and low scattered light, has been obtained in the 600–1100 Å region from a helium gas discharge. A mild condensed gas discharge produces the continuum at an optimum pressure of about 40 mm Hg. The discharge circuit contains an external series spark gap, which is air blown and irradiated with a mercury lamp to improve its stability. After warm-up, the slow drift in intensity of the system over 4 hr is about 3%. Details of construction and operation are discussed, and initial results showing the use of this source to obtain absorption coefficients of gases by photoelectric scanning are presented.

© 1963 Optical Society of America

Rare Gas Continuum Light Sources for Photoelectric Scanning in the Vacuum Ultraviolet

R. E. Huffman, J. C. Larrabee, and Y. Tanaka
Appl. Opt. 4(12) 1581-1588 (1965)

Absorption Coefficients of Krypton in the 600 to 886 Å Wavelength Region

R. E. Huffman, Y. Tanaka, and J. C. Larrabee
Appl. Opt. 2(9) 947-953 (1963)

New Vacuum-Ultraviolet Emission Continua of Helium Produced in High-Pressure Discharges

R. E. Huffman, Y. Tanaka, and J. C. Larrabee
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 52(8) 851-857 (1962)

New Excitation Unit for Rare Gas Continua in the Vacuum Ultraviolet

R. E. Huffman, J. C. Larrabee, and D. Chambers
Appl. Opt. 4(9) 1145-1150 (1965)

Production of an Intense Helium Continuum below 230 Å

A. J. Caruso and Shardanand
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 59(8) 960-962 (1969)