Current-Mode Power Converter for Radiation Control in DBD Excimer Lamps

A pulsed current-mode converter specifically designed for the supply of dielectric barrier discharge excimer lamps is proposed in this paper. The power supply structure is defined on the basis of causality criteria that are justified by the structure of the lamp model. The converter operation is studied, and its design criteria are established using state-plane analysis. This converter, operating in discontinuous conduction mode, controls directly both the amplitude and the duration of the emitted ultraviolet (UV) pulses. Experimentally, the UV radiation is demonstrated to be proportional to the current injected into the gas, and the degrees of freedom offered by the control of the supply are shown to be very efficient for the active control of the UV power.