Some notes on the role of meta-stable excited state of helium atom in laser-induced helium gas breakdown spectroscopy

A study of the experimental results on the plasma emissions of water and ethanol vapor samples, induced by Nd:YAG laser in ambient helium and nitrogen gases at atmospheric pressure, is presented here. The result reveals distinct geometrical and spectral characteristics of the plasma emissions generated in the helium gas when compared to those observed from nitrogen gas plasma. Most remarkable is the narrow line width and low continuum background exhibited by emission lines of the analyte atoms from helium plasma, including the hydrogen emission line which is known to suffer from notorious broadening effects in conventional laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). It is further shown on the basis of the measured spatial distributions and time profiles of the emission intensities, that the excellent spectral quality is attained by taking advantage of the meta-stable excited state of helium atoms for the delayed excitation of the hydrogen and other analyte atoms, this allows the detection of those atomic emissions to be performed under more favorable conditions. The result of this study has thus demonstrated the feasibility of achieving high-quality spectrochemical analysis, including hydrogen analysis with laser-induced helium gas breakdown spectroscopy. PACS 52.38.Mf     

Two-dimensional simulations of plasma flow and charge spreadingacross barrier pixels in AC plasma displays

Two-dimensional multispecies simulations of adjacent pixels separated by a barrier height 80% the gap height in a plasma display pixel cell are performed. The fill gas pressure is 400 torr with 2% xenon in helium. The simulations using a minimum number of excited states of helium and xenon are performed for different cell widths representing different display resolutions. The simulations show plasma transport through the gap to the adjacent pixel which is in the sustained off state. In a sustained off state, there is no discharge in the pixel at the sustained voltage. The simulations show that for low-resolution displays, the plasma overflow does not cause a discharge in the adjacent pixel that is in the sustained off mode, while for a high-resolution display a 20% gap in the barrier height could result in a breakdown in the adjacent off pixel. A higher pixel resolution, or equivalently smaller pixel pitch. requires higher firing and sustained voltages due primarily to increased particle losses as a result of the reduced particle transit times. Finally, using a larger number of excited xenon atomic states including the xenon [6s, j=1] and [6s', j=1] radiative states and the molecular xenon dimer, an isolated single pixel is simulated to model the transport of excited states including the radiative states. The model shows that the density profiles peak in the cathode fall region spreading out to the side walls with decreasing intensity     

Investigation of SRS conversion of XeCl laser emission in lead vapor,methane, and hydrogen

We have thus optimized the conditions for SRS conversion of XeCl-laser emission in lead vapor, methane, and hydrogen. The greatest influence on the conversion efficiency is exerted for an SRS cell with lead by the divergence of the pump radiation, the focusing geometry, and the type of buffer gas. The maximum efficiency with respect to absorbed UV energy was ∼57% when xenon gas was used as the buffer, corresponding to 85% of the photon efficiency. The converted radiation could be continuously tuned in the 457.6–459.3 nm band. Addition of a light gas such as helium or hydrogen to methane raised the efficiency of conversion into Stokes components in methane to ∼24 %.     

Xenon saturation spectroscopy by diode laser

Summary Commercial diode lasers have emission wavelengths which overlap some absorption xenon lines. We have performed saturation spectroscopy of four lines, leaving from the first excited atomic configuration 5p ⁵6s, at 823.16 nm, at 828.01 nm, at 834.68 nm and at 820.63 nm, in a weak glow discharge of natural xenon. Natural xenon is a mixture of several isotopes, and the two even isotopes, Xe(129) (26% of relative abundance) and Xe(131) (21%), have a nuclear spin (1/2 and 3/2, respectively) that produces a hyperfine structure. The complex resulting spectra have been resolved and the results are compared with the available literature data. The authors of this paper have agreed to not receive the proofs for correction.     

Theoretical simulations of emission spectra of Fe^7＋ and Fe^＋8

The energy levels, oscillator strengths, spontaneous radiative decay rates, and electron impact collision strengths are calculated for Fe VIII and Fe IX using the recently developed flexible atomic code （FAC）. These atomic data are used to analyse the emission spectra of both laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. The nf-3d emission lines have been simulated for Fe VIII and Fe IX in a wavelength range of 6-14 nm. For Fe VIII, the predicted relative intensities of lines are insensitive to temperature. For Fe IX, however, the intensity ratios are very sensitive to temperature, implying that the information of temperature in the experiment can be inferred. Detailed line analyses have also been carried out in a wavelength range of 60-80 nm for Fe VIII, where the solar ultraviolet measurements of emitted radiation spectrometer records a large number of spectra. More lines can be identified with the aid of present atomic data. A complete dataset is available electronically from http：//www.astrnomy.csdb.cn/EIE/.     

Excitation Mechanisms of Copper Ionic and Atomic Lines Emitted from a Low‐Pressure Argon Laser‐Induced Plasma

Abstract

Low‐pressure laser‐induced plasmas generated with a pulsed Nd∶YAG laser have complicated structures both temporally and spatially. The emission characteristics of the plasma are investigated for optimizing the experimental parameters in atomic emission spectrometry. The emission intensities of copper emission lines, measured in a time‐resolved as well as a time‐integrated mode, are strongly dependent on the kind of copper lines, ionic or atomic line, and the excitation energy. Also, the pressure of argon gas is the most important parameter for determining the behavior of these emission lines, including argon lines. Generally, copper ionic lines are dominantly emitted from the initial breakdown zone, because the copper ions are produced mainly in the hot breakdown zone. However, the Cu II 229.44‐nm line is emitted also from the expansion zone of the plasma. It results from an additional excitation process through the charge‐transfer collision particularly effective for the corresponding excited level. In this work, the excitation mechanisms for Cu I, Ar I, and Ar II lines are also discussed. The excitations occurring in the laser‐induced plasma can be well understood by taking the temporal and spatial variations in their intensities into consideration.     

Experimental determination of the total integrated intensity of various doublets of Cs absorption series under various pressures of foreign gases

The total integrated intensities of both doublet components and all associated satellites of the first nine members of the principal series of cesium in the presence of argon, the corresponding data for the first four members in the presence of helium, and those for the first two members in the presence of xenon were measured. Results indicate an exponential decrease in the intensity vs the relative density of rare gases. Simultaneous measurements of more than one doublet vs relative density show that the decrease in the total integrated intensities is not due to vapor pressure effects.     

Radiative characteristics of high-frequency electrodeless helium lamps

Based on the system of equations describing the populations of highly excited helium atomic levels and the electron density and energy balance and on the Maxwell equations, we develop a model for an electrodeless high-frequency discharge in helium. We suggest a method of self-consistent calculation in a plasma-field system. The model developed is used to calculate the radiative characteristics of high-frequency electrodeless lamps. The derived dependences of line intensities on gas pressure, lamp radius, and discharge power are in good agreement with the experimental data.     

Comparative Investigation on the Excitation of Copper Emission Lines Between Argon and Helium Spark Discharge Plasmas

The emission intensities and the signal‐to‐background ratios (SBRs) of copper emission lines in the wavelength range 200–360 nm were observed from a medium‐voltage spark discharge plasma when argon or helium was employed as the surrounding gas. The observed copper spectra comprised Cu(I) lines having excitation energy of 3.8–9.3 eV, and Cu(II) lines assigned to three different transitions: 3d ⁸4p–3d ⁸4s transition (excitation energy of 8.2–9.2 eV), 3d ⁸5s–3d ⁸4p transition (13.4–13.6 eV), and the 3d ⁸4d–3d ⁸4p transition (14.2–14.8 eV). The Cu(I) lines have much smaller intensities in the helium plasma compared with the argon plasma, whereas the Cu(II) lines have similar intensities between both plasmas. The SBRs of some ionic copper lines are larger in the helium plasma compared with the argon plasma. Therefore, when an ionic line has to be measured in the analytical applications, the helium plasma should be recommended.     

The influence of electron emission on probe characteristics

The influence of an electron emission of a spherical probe on its characteristic is calculated in a simplified model for the case of low plasma densities. Comparison of the calculations with measurements taken in helium and xenon show qualitative agreement.     

α粒子激励下氦,氪的光谱

利用自制的单光子计数装置，测定了氦，氪在α粒子激励下的发射光谱，在３７０．０～７２０．０ｎｍ波长范围内，辨认出５条ＨｅＩ，１条ＫｒＩ和６条ＫｒⅡ的光谱线，并在α粒子激励下观察到氦的分子谱带，实验研究了谱线强度随气体压强的变化规律，对α粒子激励下氦，氪可能的激发机理进行了探讨。     

Radiative characteristics and kinetics of processes in low-pressure gas-discharge lamps based on a mixture of helium and iodine vapors

The UV radiation of glow- and capacitive-discharge lamps based on mixtures of inert gases with iodine vapors are optimized in the spectral range of 175–360 nm, in which working helium-iodine mixtures of different compositions are used. The most intense spectral lines in the bactericidal region of the spectrum were the atomic lines of iodine (183.0, 206.2 nm), and in the region of 320–360 nm, emission of the spectral band of an iodine molecule prevailed with a maximum at λ = 342 nm. For a capacitive lamp with a casing opaque in the spectral range λ < 250 nm, the main part of the plasma emission power is concentrated in the A′-D′ band of an iodine molecule with a maximum at 342 nm. The emission brightness of this lamp is optimized in iodine molecule transitions depending on the partial helium pressure. We present the results of simulating the kinetics of processes in a glow-discharge plasma in mixtures of He, Xe, and iodine vapors. We establish the dependence of the main part of the emission intensity of the 206.2 nm spectral line of an iodine atom and the 342 nm band of an iodine molecule on the helium pressure in a glow-discharge lamp operating on a He-I₂ mixture.     

Laser induced ion emission from wide bandgap materials

At fluences well below the threshold for plasma formation, we have characterized the direct desorption of atomic ions from fused silica surfaces during 157 nm irradiation by time-resolved mass spectroscopy. The principal ions are Si⁺ and O⁺. The emission intensities are dramatically increased by treatments that increase the density of surface defects. Molecular dynamics simulations of the silica surface suggest that silicon ions bound at surface oxygen vacancies (analogous to E′ centers) provide suitable configurations for the emission of Si⁺. We propose that emission is best understood in terms of a hybrid mechanism involving both antibonding chemical forces (Menzel-Gomer-Redhead model) and repulsive electrostatic forces on the adsorbed ion after laser excitation of the underlying defect.     

电子助进化学气相沉积金刚石中的光发射谱特性

采用蒙特卡罗方法,对以CH₄/H₂为源料气体的电子助进化学气相沉积(EACVD)金刚石中的氢原子(H_α, H_β, H_γ)、碳原子C(2p3s2p2∶λ=165.7 nm)以及CH(A2Δ→X2Π∶λ=420～440 nm)的光发射过程进行了模拟,气体温度随空间的变化采用温度梯度变化,研究了不同反应室气压及衬底温度下的光发射谱特性。结果表明,不同衬底温度下各谱线强度均随气压的增大先增大后减小; 当气压较低时,谱线强度随衬底温度的增大而减少,而气压较高时,谱线强度随衬底温度的增大而增大。     

On the Cd III spectrum in a pulsed helium discharge

On the basis of the spectral line intensity relaxation during the plasma decay, fifty six spectral lines between 219 nm and 330 nm in the cadmium (Cd) spectrum were identified as Cd III (doubly ionized) or Cd IV (triply ionized) lines. The measured Stark widths of twelve, the most intense spectral lines around 315±15 nm with well defined profiles, are presented. Investigated spectral lines originate from the high lying energy levels, not classified up to now. A linear low-pressure pulsed arc was used as an optically thin plasma source. A pulsed discharge was produced in a pyrex discharge tube. Helium was chosen as the carrier gas. The cadmium atoms were sputtered from the thin cadmium cylindrical plates located in the homogeneous axial part of the discharge tube. The helium plasma was operated at electron temperatures up to 19 000 K and 1.1 × 10²³ m^-3 electron density. The stepwise ionization processes via the high lying singly ionized (Cd II) energy levels, populated well due to the Penning and charge exchange effects, provide high density of the Cd III (and Cd IV) ions in our helium plasma. The temporal evolutions of the spectral line intensities were monitored using a spectrograph and an ICCD camera as a highly sensitive detection system.     

Excitation of Doubly‐Charged Ion Emission Lines from a Grimm‐Style Glow Discharge Plasma—Comparison Between Yttrium and Zirconium

Spectra of yttrium and zirconium emitted from a Grimm‐style glow discharge plasma were investigated to elucidate the excitation mechanism of doubly‐charged ionic lines when using argon–helium mixed gas as well as argon gas alone. The energy sum for exciting doubly‐charged ion species of yttrium is slightly smaller compared to the case of zirconium, which yields an interesting correlation in the excitation energy between their ionic species and excited species of helium or argon. The Y III emission lines which were assigned to the 4p⁶5p–4p⁶5s(4p⁶4d) transitions could be observed in the argon–helium mixed gas plasma, but those were hardly excited with argon gas only. The Zr III emission lines did not appear in the spectra emitted by the argon gas plasma nor by the mixed gas plasma. A possible explanation for these phenomena is that the excitation of these ionic species is caused principally by collisional energy transfer from helium species to the analyte atoms.     

Measurements of electron density and Stark width of neutral helium lines in a helium arc plasma

Electron densities in an atmospheric helium arc plasma have been measured with the Stark broadening parameters of helium spectral lines. The spatially distributed radiation intensities are converted to plasma emission coefficients at every wavelength by means of Abel inversion. From the inverted profiles of He I lines of 4713 ?, 5016 ?, and 6678 ? electron density has been calculated, which ranges from 0.5 ×10¹⁶ to 4 ×10¹⁶ cm^-3 for a helium arc with current 200 A. Stark widths of He I lines of 3889 ? and 7065 ? are determined based on the measurements and compared with existing data.     

Emission properties of laser ablation of SnO2: Sb transparent conducting film and KTiOPO4 crystal

Optical emission spectra of Nd:YAG laser ablation of KTiOPO₄ (KTP) crystal and SnO₂:Sb transparent conducting thin film were recorded and analyzed in vacuum and in air. The integral intensities of spectral lines from laser-ablated KTP crystal were obtained as functions of distance from the target surface and laser power density in vacuum and in air. The ambient gas effects on pulsed laser ablation of target were discussed. We also performed laser ablation of SnO₂:Sb transparent conducting thin film in air and the electron temperature and full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of atomic and ionic spectral lines in the plasma were quantified using Boltzmann plot method and Lorentzian fit, respectively. Integral intensities of atomic and ionic Sn spectral lines were also obtained as functions of distance from the target surface and laser irradiance. The intensity ratio of ionic and atomic Sn spectral lines as a function of laser power density was got which gives some information about the variation of ionization ratio with laser irradiance in the plasma produced by high-power laser.     

Laser action of C,N, O,F, Cl,and Br in hollow cathode discharges

C, N, O, F, Cl, and Br red and infrared laser emission was investigated using hollow cathode discharges in gas mixtures of helium and molecules containing the corresponding atoms. A total of 33 laser lines with wavelengths from 0.7 to 2.0m was observed. Three laser lines of atomic C, five laser lines of atomic N, two laser lines of atomic Cl and five laser lines of atomic Br were observed for the first time. Dissociation charge transfer and dissociative excitation transfer are suggested as being responsible for populating the upper laser levels.     

Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of an Excimer Laser-Induced Lead Plasma Emission

A laser-induced plasma was generated from a lead target using an ArF excimer laser (λ = 193 nm) and characterized by time-resolved and time-integrated spatially resolved spectrometry. The ambient atmosphere (gas composition and pressure) influenced the emission intensity for both atomic and ionic lines. The emission of laser-induced lead plasma varied with time as well as the location in the plasma. Lead ion emission decayed more rapidly than lead atomic line emission. High excitation temperatures and nonlinear optical phenomena were observed in the laser-induced lead plasma. Gas breakdown and the subsequent shielding effect of the incident laser beam in different ambient gas compositions and pressures were discussed to explain the different efficiency of metal ion for matioa in the plasma. The experimental results show that spatial discrimination of the laser-induced plasma emission is desirable for direct spectrochemical analysis.