The intense VUV narrow band emission from an inert gas mixture discharge

Theoretical and experimental studies of low temperature plasmas of inert gas mixtures show a very high efficiency for energy transfer from broad vacuum ultravio let (VUV) continua to narrow spectra. The process of energy transfer can not be explained as an ordinary particle collision mechanism. Narrow band light amplification in plasmas of inert gas mixtures is discussed as a possible process of energy transfer.