Calculations of optimal parameters for the e-beam excited Xe spontaneous ra
diation source (excilamp) at lambda similar to 172 nm have been done. There
have been defined optimal values of gas density and specific excitation po
wer. Gas temperature dependence of radiation conversion efficiency related
to the injected media energy have been also computed. It has been shown tha
t there is an optimum in excitation pulse duration at frequency operation m
ode.