Formation of a thin luminescent layer in LiF crystals under glow discharge radiation

The formation of thin layers of luminescent defects on the faces of planar lithium fluoride crystals located in the positive column and Faraday dark space of a glow gas discharge was studied by time-resolved confocal scanning luminescent microscopy and time-correlated single photon counting. The formation of aggregated color centers in the surface layers of crystals was established using the spectral and kinetic characteristics of luminescence appearing after irradiation. The role of gas discharge electrons, ions, and photons in the defect formation mechanism was considered. The defects were shown to be formed under the influence of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photons. The VUV radiation intensity distribution in the discharge gap was measured by the method of thermostimulated luminescence. The main source of this radiation was the anodic and cathodic voltage drop regions in a glow discharge.