Kinetics of vacuum-ultraviolet continuum from a high-pressure He fast discharge

Abstract
The kinetics of atomic and molecular excited states following a fast discharge in pure high‐pressure helium are resolved on a nanosecond time scale by emission and absorption spectroscopy. Evidence is presented indicating that the Hopfield continuum (600–1100 Å) radiation occurs as a terminal process in a collisional‐radiative cascade subsequent to the electronic recombination of He+2 ions. The radiated peak power in this wavelength range reaches several kW at atmospheric pressure.