EP0316189A2 — IR-radiation source and method for producing same

Claim 1

Independent Claim 53 words

A source of IR-radiation, comprising an enclosure (4) defining between its walls a sealed-off, electrode-less chamber (6;14,16), said walls having at least one portion transparent to IR-radiation, and said chamber containing a gas mixture consisting of at least one, molecular, IR-active gas, at least one buffer gas, and at least one noble gas.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 53 words

A source of IR-radiation, comprising an enclosure (4) defining between its walls a sealed-off, electrode-less chamber (6;14,16), said walls having at least one portion transparent to IR-radiation, and said chamber containing a gas mixture consisting of at least one, molecular, IR-active gas, at least one buffer gas, and at least one noble gas.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 15 words

A source as claimed in claim 1, wherein the IR-active gas is CO₂ or CO.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 18 words

A source as claimed in claim 1, wherein the IR-active gas molecule contains at least one rare isotope.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 23 words

A source as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the buffer gas is N₂, CO, or a mixture thereof.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 19 words

A source as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the noble gas is He or Xe.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 52 words

A source as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gas mixture, inside a given volume and configuration of said chamber (6;14,16), provides a total pressure at which the average random propelling time to a wall of said chamber exceeds about 5 milliseconds, for maximizing the radiation output power.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 52 words

A source as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein, for a given volume and configuration of said chamber (6,14,16), the partial pressure of quenching gas particles inside said chamber is such that the collisional quenching rate does not exceed about 200 sec ⁻¹, for maximizing the radiation output power.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 55 words

A source as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the gas mixture, inside a given volume and configuration of said chamber (6;14,16), provides a total pressure at which the average random propelling time to a wall of said chamber is less than about 5 milliseconds for obtaining faster radiation modulation rate.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 53 words

A source as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein, for a given volume and configuration of said chamber (6,14,16), the partial pressure of quenching gas particles inside said chamber is such that the collisional quenching rate exceeds about 200 sec ⁻¹, for obtaining a faster output radiation modulation rate.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 42 words

A source as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the enclosure (4) is provided with two portions (Figure 3), of which a first larger portion defines a reservoir and a second portion of smaller size defines a discharge zone.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 30 words

A source as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the enclosure is divided by a partition into two compartments (14,16), said partition being transparent to IR-radiation.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 50 words

A source as claimed in claim 11, wherein a first (14) of the two compartments is filled with said gas mixture, and the second compartment (16) is filled with said gas mixture and an additional active gas molecule having a tendency for dissociation similar to that of an N₂O molecule.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 33 words

A source as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the walls of the chamber (6;14,16) are coated with a material which reduces the tendency of relaxing colliding excited IR-active molecules.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 120 words

A method for producing a source of IR-radiation, comprising: a) providing an enclosure (4) made of a dielectric material defining between its walls a chamber (6); b) soaking said chamber in a cleaning agent; c) thoroughly rinsing said chamber with distilled de-ionized water; d) drying said chamber., e) baking said chamber at a temperature of from about 200 to 300°C; f) introducing into the chamber at least one noble gas, effecting a discharge in the chamber for a period of time, and emptying said gas from the chamber; g) filling said chamber with a gas mixture containing at least one, molecular, IR-active gas, at least one buffer gas, and at least one noble gas; and h) hermetically sealing-off said chamber.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 120 words

A method for producing a source of IR-radiation, comprising: a) providing an enclosure (4) made of a dielectric material defining between its walls a chamber (6); b) soaking said chamber in a cleaning agent; c) thoroughly rinsing said chamber with distilled de-ionized water; d) drying said chamber., e) baking said chamber at a temperature of from about 200 to 300°C; f) introducing into the chamber at least one noble gas, effecting a discharge in the chamber for a period of time, and emptying said gas from the chamber; g) filling said chamber with a gas mixture containing at least one, molecular, IR-active gas, at least one buffer gas, and at least one noble gas; and h) hermetically sealing-off said chamber.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 56 words

A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein, prior to hermetically sealing-off said chamber, a discharge is effected for a period of time in said chamber containing said gas mixture introduced in step (g), said gas mixture is emptied from said chamber, and said chamber is refilled with a fresh gas mixture as in step (g).

IR-radiation source and method for producing same

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