EUROPEAN ORGANIZATION FOR NUCLEAR RESEARCH CERN-EP / 2002-099 16 December 2002 VUV Absorbing Vapours in n-Perfluorocarbons

The optical transparency of perfluorocarbons used as Cherenkov media is of prime importance to many Ring Imaging Cherenkov detectors. We will in this paper show that the main photon absorbers in these fluids are hydrocarbons with double or triple bonds. We will moreover discuss a process which can eliminate these pollutants and restore the intrinsic excellent optical transparency of these fluids in the VUV range.

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