Influences of floating particles produced by high-pressure, pulsed glow discharge on excimer laser excitation

The floating particles produced by the high-pressure, pulsed glow discharge on KrF excimer laser excitation have been visualized by the pulsed-laser scatter method. The double-pulse discharge experiments have also been carded out to study the effects of the floating particles on the discharge instabilities. The particles with diameters of the order of 100 μm are observed in the discharge region just after the discharge. The number density of the particles increases to ∼2 particle/cm3 at 200 ms after the discharge, and then decreases to ∼1 particle/cm3 at 500ms. In the double-pulse experiment without gas flow, the probability of arc formation in the second discharge reduces at 300 ms after the first discharge. It has been clearly demonstrated that the floating particles of the order of 100 μm hardly affect the discharge characteristics.