VUV-SPECTROSCOPY OF THE PLASMA LIGHT-EMISSION GENERATED BY THE PULSEDARC CLUSTER ION-SOURCE (PACIS)

A pinhole grid spectrometer is used to measure the light emission from the plasma of the pulsed are cluster ion source (PACIS). Spectra of v arious metals and carbon have been measured between 20 and 100 nm. In the case of carbon the average electron temperature is estimated to ab out 0.69 eV. Higher temperatures up to 0.79 eV are measured when inser ting seeding gas which flushes the discharge volume with approx. one a tmosphere of helium. An operation under this source conditions leads t o the generation of an intense charged cluster beam. The application o f the source as a bright light source in the VUV region is discussed.