Determination of the Electron Density in an Argon Laser Plasma by Spectroscopy of the Hydrogen Hα and Hβ Lines

From measurements of the H_α and H_β spectral line profiles in a plasma, a method is developed which allows to separate the contributions of Doppler and Stark broadening. This method is superior to the deconvolution of Voigt profiles, in particular, when the lines are of low intensity. The electron density in the plasma can be calculated from the Stark broadening. An example is the low pressure (p ≈ 1 hPa) arc discharge of argon ion lasers which is characteristised by electron densities of approximately 10¹⁴ cm^?3 at heavy particle temperatures of about 10⁴ K. These plasma parameters lead to a broadening of the Balmer H_α and H_β spectral lines of hydrogen, which has a low concentration within the discharge area. The spectral lines are broadened due to the electron density dependent Stark effect and the temperature responsive Doppler effect. The results are consistent with predictions of the argon ion laser modelling.     

大气压等离子体炬电子密度的光谱诊断

利用空心针-板放电装置产生了大气压等离子体炬,采用光谱法测量了其内部及表面的电子密度. 向空心针中通入氩气,在大气环境中产生了长度为1cm的等离子体炬.实验分别测量了Hα谱线和ArⅠ(696.54nm)谱线,通过反卷积方法分离出其相应的Stark展宽,并由此计算了电子密度.结果发现,采用Hα谱线和ArⅠ(696.54nm)谱线Stark展宽计算得到的等离子体的电子密度分别为1.0×10¹⁵cm^－3和3.78×10^{15关键词： 等离子体炬 电子密度 气体温度 Stark展宽}     

高气压微波氢等离子体发射光谱诊断

在2.45GHz,800W级的高气压微波等离子体放电系统中,通过测量不同微波功率和放电气压下氢等离子体的Balmer线系的发射光谱,从测量的谱线总展宽中卷积去掉具有高斯线形的Doppler展宽和仪器展宽得到谱线的Stark展宽,并通过Stark展宽测量氢等离子体的电子数密度和电场强度。结果表明:等离子体的电子数密度和电场强度随着放电气压的升高都是先增大后减小,随着微波功率的增加呈现逐渐增大的趋势。微波功率为800W时,气压在25kPa时电子数密度和电场强度都达到最大值,等离子体的电子数密度和内部的电场强度分别为3.55×1012cm-3及4.01kV/cm。     

Experimental Stark broadening studies of the CI transition 3s1P1o ? 3p1S0 at 833.5 nm

Experimental Stark broadening studies of the infrared CI transition 3s ¹ P ₁ ^o − 3p ¹ S ₀ at 833.5 nm are reported for the first time. A high-current wall-stabilized arc, operated in a mixture of helium, argon, carbon dioxide and hydrogen, was applied as the plasma source. Radiation emitted from homogeneous and optically thin plasma layers was analyzed. Stark broadening studies of the selected CI transition and the hydrogen Balmer β line were performed. As expected from theoretical considerations, the CI line width depends linearly on the electron density of the plasma. Applying theoretical Stark broadening data for the H _gb line, the measured Stark widths of the CI line were calibrated for the purpose of electron density determination in low temperature plasmas.     

SiH4激光等离子体内H谱线的线型研究

本工作利用光学多道分析仪(OMA Ⅲ)测量了脉冲TEA CO₂激光诱发的SiH₄等离子体内H Balmer系的H_α,H_σ和H_γ线的线型。结果表明,三条谱线的FWHM(半值全宽度)随跃迁上能级的主量子数的增加而增加,即△λ_1/2(H_α)<△λ_1/2(H_β)<△λ_1/2(H_γ)。通过对等离子体内各类加宽机制的讨论,得出等离子体内谱线的主要加宽机制为Stark加宽。由H_α线的实验线型与Stark加宽理论线型的拟合,得到等离子体的两个重要参量,平均电子密度N≈10¹⁷cm^-3,电子温度T≈40 000K。由H_β线的时间分辨测量得到等离子体的电子密度随时间的演变曲线。 关键词：     

Spectroscopic diagnostics for an electrical discharge plasma in a liquid

We conducted spectroscopic studies of an electrical discharge plasma in a liquid, used for synthesis of nanosized particles of metals and their compounds. From the intensity ratio of the copper lines, we estimated the electron temperature, and from the Stark broadening of the hydrogen lines H _α we determined the electron density in the electrical discharge plasma. Information about the concentration of copper atoms in the discharge was obtained from analysis of the spectra in the region of resonance lines of copper. We carried out a comparative analysis of the plasma parameters for spark and arc discharges in water, ethanol, and air. Based on the equation of state for an ideal plasma, taking into account the Debye correction, we estimated the pressure in the plasma channel.     

Etude spectroscopique d'un jet de plasma d'argon hors d'equilibre thermodynamique local

We have studied the properties of an argon plasmajet seeded with a few percent of hydrogen. At atmospheric pressure, significant deviations from local thermodynamic equilibrium (L.T.E.) are shown. The plasma parameters (electrondensity N_e, temperature T) have been determined from the broadening and the absolute intensity of hydrogen lines. The transition probabilities and the broadening parameters (width and shift) of some AI lines between 4000 and 6000 Å have been measured.     

Plasma effects in the spectrum of high Balmer lines

Measurements of high Balmer lines (N_upper = 12 to 19) emitted from a hydrogen discharge of relatively low plasma density show that the spectrum may be well reproduced by a superposition of symmetric Stark profiles, which accounts for the broadening effect generated by ions and quasistatic electrons. The small deviations which were found most probably involve inelastic electron collisions connecting adjacent upper levels. Within experimental accuracy, a shift is not detectable either for odd or for even series members. This finding is inconsistent with the observations of other authors according to which odd Balmer lines are shifted to the red.     

感应磁场压缩下氢等离子体中巴耳末系谱线的斯塔克加宽

本工作研究感应磁场压缩下,氢等离子体中的巴耳末系谱线的斯塔克加宽。电容器对围绕在放电管外部的线圈放电,产生交变轴向磁场,使放电管中氢气离化、压缩与加热。放电周期14微秒,放电电压20千伏,最大电流165千安,初始工作气压2.0×10^-1毫米汞高。用照相方法研究H_β和H_γ的轮廓。这些谱线有显著的加宽。在整个发光阶段中,H_β的平均半宽度为14—16(埃),H_γ为18—19(埃),相应的离子密度为1.7—2.5×10¹⁶厘米^-3。实验轮廓与Griem,Kolb和Shen的理论较为接近,与Holtsmark理论相差较远。光电测量进一步表明:H_β的轮廓随着时间而改变,相应的离子密度亦在改变。在放电的第三半周期初级电流极大时,离子密度最大,达到3.2×1O¹⁶厘米^-3,为初始氢原子密度的2.2倍。     

Measurement of the Stark broadening parameters of some singly ionized argon lines

Half-widths of fifteen Stark broadened argon II lines have been measured in argon plasma behind the reflected shock wave produced in an electromagnetically driven “T” tube. The plasma electron density was determined by the laser interferometry at three different wavelengths, while the plasma temperature was measured from relative intensities of A II lines. Temperatures were in the range 8,500–16,500 °K; electron densities varied from 1.82 to 3.94 · 10¹⁷ cm^?3. The measured A II linewidths are compared with theoretical and other experimental results. It is shown that a) the broadening of A II lines is in good agreement with the theory, b) line broadening increases linearly with electron density, and c) the Stark broadened lines follow the dispersion profile to the distance of at least three halfwidths from the line center.     

Measurements of halfwidths of some argon lines in a wall-stabilized cascade arc

The Stark broadening of ArI 7147.04, 7272.93, 7067.2, 6965.43 Å lines was investigated in a wall-stabilized argon-arc plasma. The temperature was varied from 10,100 to 12,500°K, and the electron density from 1.9 to 8.8×10¹⁶ cm^-3. In the observed plasma conditions, the last two lines were self-absorbed owing to their optical depths. Correction to the optically thin line was made, and the quadratic Stark effect halfwidths were compared with Griem's theoretical halfwidths. Within the limits of experimental error, the halfwidths of lines of 7147, 7273, 6965 and 7067 Å were found to be in agreement with theory.     

Mechanisms of broadening of emission lines of a laser-induced plasma generated on the surface of rigid targets

This article reports the results of an experimental investigation of the basic mechanisms that cause the broadening of emission lines of a laser-induced plasma generated on the surface of rigid targets in a gaseous atmosphere. The contribution of Stark and resonance mechanisms of emission-line broadening for the resonance doublet Al I 3s²3p²P_3/2,1/2-3s²4s²S_1/2 and triplet Mg I 3s3p³P _0,1,2 ⁰ -3s4s³S₁ is discussed. The concentrations of neutral Al atoms in the laser-induced plasma are evaluated by the magnitude of resonance line broadening. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 67, No. 2, pp. 234–237, March–April, 2000.     

The first measured Mn I Stark widths

The shapes of the astrophysically interesting neutral manganese (Mn I) resonance spectral lines (403.075, 403.306, 403.448, 279.481, 279.826 and 280.108 nm) have been observed together with six other prominent Mn I lines in the laboratory helium plasma at a 47 000 K electron temperature and electron density. With these plasma parameters the Stark broadening has been found to be an important mechanism in the Mn I line shape formation. Our measured Mn I Stark widths (W) are the first data in the literature. Stark widths are compared with line hyperfine structure splittings (Δ_hfs). At above mentioned helium plasma conditions the line broadening due to hyperfine structure splitting of the lines is less than that of the Stark and Doppler broadening for the case of the Mn I lines under investigation. We estimate that at electron densities below and electron temperatures below 4000 K the components in the hyperfine structure play an important role in the mentioned Mn I line shape formation.     

Multiparametric dependence of hydrogen Stark profiles asymmetry

The Standard Theory for hydrogen spectral lines asymmetry in dense plasmas is developed on the basis of rigorous and consistent approach with respect to simultaneous and complete account of the quadrupole interaction and the quadratic Stark effect. The complex multiparametric scaling and similarity dependence of the conventional asymmetry parameter for each separate Stark component and the H_β line contour as a whole is revealed and studied in detail under the influence of: ionic microfield inhomogeneity and quadratic Stark effect in ionic microfield, electronic collision shifts and impact widths, “trivial” asymmetry sources, the Boltzmann factor and the dipole intensity scaling factor of frequency to the fourth power for the case of emission line. The comparison with the precision experiment on stabilized arc data for H_β line, important for diagnostics, is performed and analyzed from the line center up to the far line wings. An erratum to this article is available at .     

仪器展宽对大气压等离子体电子密度测量的影响

实验使用两台不同的单色仪,采用光谱线型法测量了大气压氩气介质阻挡放电中的电子密度.诊断结果表明,由于不同的单色仪其仪器加宽不同,仪器加宽对总的光谱线型有较大影响.通过考虑等离子体中的各种加宽机制,采用卷积和反卷积的方法对氩原子发射谱线线型进行了分析,从整个光谱线型中分离出Stark线型,排除了仪器加宽对最终诊断结果的影响.从而最终测量了大气压氩气介质阻挡放电中的电子密度.测量得到在大气压氩气介质阻挡放电中单个放电丝存在时,电子温度为10000K时,电子密度约为3.05-3.26×1021 m-3.此方法不仅可以应用在大气压介质阻挡放电中,还可以用于测量其它大气压等离子体电子密度.     

Experimental microwave collision diameters in the rotational spectrum of H2CO

Collision diameters for some select transitions in the rotational spectrum of H₂CO have been determined using pressure broadening of the spectral lines. Transitions of the type ΔJ = 0, K_?1 = 1, and ΔK₊₁ = 1 with 1 ≤ J ≤ 5 were investigated for both self-broadening and foreign gas broadening (He and H₂) of the spectral lines. Pressure ranges from 0.001 Torr to 0.1 Torr were explored in obtaining the line width parameters Δν_p for each transition. Collision diameters were found to be very nearly constant (14 Å) over the J states studied for H₂COH₂CO interaction, 2.5–5.8 Å for H₂COH₂ interaction and 2.7–3.5 Å for H₂COHe interaction.     

Spectroscopic Diagnostics of Pulsed arc Plasmas for Particle Generation

Pulsed arc plasmas were diagnosed by means of emission spectroscopy. A capacitor was discharged through argon and hydrogen leading to a few cycles of damped current oscillation with ≈120 μs period and 5‐12 kA maximum current. Spectroscopic measurements in the visible range were carried out in order to characterise the electron temperature and density in the arc channel as well as electron and gas temperatures in the afterglow plasmas. Spectra were integrated over 10 μs time windows and shifted in time from pulse to pulse. The plasmas also contained substantial fractions of electrode material (brass), namely copper and zinc. The electron density was measured in the conventional way from the broadening of H_β or from the Ar I Stark width. In the arc channel, it ranged from about 3 · 10²² to 2 · 10²³ m^–3. The broadening of Zn II lines could also be used. Ratios of Ar I to Ar II and of Zn I to Zn II line intensities were analysed for the electron temperature. Line pairs were found which lay conveniently close in one frame of the spectrometer allowing automatic on‐line analysis without relying on reproducibility. Atomic physics models including opacity were developed for Ar II and Zn II in order to check the existence of a Boltzmann distribution of their excited states. These calculations showed that the observed levels were in fact close to thermodynamic equilibrium, in particular, if the resonance lines were optically thick. Electron temperature measurements yielded values between 14000 K and 21000 K. The gas temperature in the afterglow, where particles should have formed, was derived from the rotational and vibrational temperatures of C₂ molecular bands. Ratios between Cu I line intensities yielded the electron temperatures. Both were found to be a few 1000 K. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

大气压直流氩等离子体光谱诊断研究

通过光谱诊断系统测量了大气压直流氩等离子体射流在弧室内和弧室出口的发射光谱,利用波尔兹曼曲线斜率法计算了射流的电子温度,根据Ar Ⅰ谱线的斯塔克展宽得到射流的电子密度,并对氩等离子体射流满足局域热力学平衡(LTE)状态的判定标准进行了分析,结果表明在文章的实验条件下大气压直流氩等离子体射流达到局域热力学平衡。     

Experimental study of stark broadening of nitrogen ion lines in a theta pinch plasma

We have studied the Stark broadening of the 3s-3p, 3p-3d and 3d-4f emission lines of the nitrogen II, III, and IV ions emitted from a hot plasma. The plasma was created by a 60 kJ, 60 kV single turn coil theta pinch, where the fill gas was 3 torr of (49%He+51%N₂). The plasma was diagnosed by measuring the Stark-broadened profile of the He(II) 4686 Å line and by taking shadowgrams of the plasma development. It was found that the ionization stage distribution and thus the electron density departed from that predicted by Saha-Boltzmann equilibrium relations. The analysis of the plasma parameters gave an electron density of 1.4 x 10¹⁸ cm^-3. The electron temperature was measured from the relative intensities of emission lines as well as from the line-to-continuum ratio and was found to be 5.0 eV. The line profiles have been fitted to Lorentzian profiles and the thus measure line widths are compared with earlier experimental data as well as with simple theoretical calculations. We find that our line widths are broader than earlier data taken at lower densities if we assume a linear scaling of the half width with the density. A simple Lorentzian profile fits in most cases quite well to the observed line profile. The simple calculations can predict the linewidths within 20% for the low lying levels of both the singly and doubly ionized nitrogen while the predictions are far too narrow for the higher lying levels from the multiply ionized atoms.     

Stark-Effekt-Verbreiterung der Neon I-Übergänge mit schwacher Feldstärkeabhängigkeit (2p 5 3s-2p 5 3p)

The half widths of Stark-broadened Ne I spectral lines (2p ⁵ 3s-2p ⁵ 3p) were measured in wall stabilized arc plasmas (pressurep=1 atm, andp=3 atm) consisting of several gas components (Ar 68%, Ne 27%, He 3%, H₂ 2%). The theoretical half widths of two spectral lines (λ=6,266.50 Å,λ=6,163.59 Å) with known calculated broadening parameters according to Griem differ by a factor 1.8 to 1.9 from the measured widths. Within the errors of Griem's line broadening calculations of about 20% there was agreement between experimental and theoretical half widths regarding two other spectral lines (λ=5,881.90 Å,λ=5,852.49 Å). Calculated adiabatic widths are smaller than the widths according to Griem. Therefore in some cases the deviation of the adiabatic widths from the measured widths is smaller than the difference between Griem widths and experimental ones. Static quadratic coefficients of NeI transitions 2p ⁵ 3s-2p ⁵ 3p calculated from measured Stark-broadened lines showed wavelength displacements in the order of 0.005 Å referring to an electrical field of 100 kV/cm. The determined coefficients are 10² times smaller than those values measurable by known methods of emission spectroscopy.