Lasing conditions in recombining helium plasmas

Lasing conditions for He have been evaluated numerically. We have used a collisional radiative model to calculate overpopulation densities Δn_ij, which are defined as differences between population densities per unit statistical weight of the upper and lower excited levels i and j, respectively. Laser oscillations for the level pairs 2¹P-3¹S, 2¹P-4¹S, 2¹P-3¹D, 2¹P-4¹D, 3¹D-4¹F, 3¹P-4¹S, 3¹P-4¹D, and 3³P-4³S are possible when the electron densities are within well defined limits at low electron temperature (T_e = 0.1 eV). For level pairs of the singlet state, the inversion mechanism for He is the same as for H. Only collisional processes produce population inversion in the triplet level pair 3³P-4³S.     

Verbreiterung von Hauptserienlinien des Kaliums durch Wechselwirkung mit Kalium- und Cäsiumatomen bei hohen Teilchendichten

For certain conditions the afterglow of low pressure discharges can be dominated by three body recombination. These conditions — electron densities of about 10¹² cm^?3 and electron temperatures of about 500 °K— are realized 20 μsec after switch off of the discharge for gas pressures (hydrogen) between 2 and 6 mTorr. In this pressure range the energy transfer from the electrons via the ions to the neutrals and subsequently to the wall is high enough to permit a decay of the electron temperature to low values before the electron density has decreased appreciably. A theoretical model demonstrates that the electron density decaydn _e/dt～n _e ³ f(T _e) is in good approximation equivalent todn _e/dt=const·n _e ² for a certain range of time and of parameters. This proportionality is observed. The measured values of the constant differ from the calculated ones by about 15%.     

An experimental investigation of partial LTE for lower excited levels of Ar(I) in a wall-confined,argon arc plasma

This paper contains experimental results on partial LTE in the lower excited levels of Ar(I). The experiments were performed in a well-confined argon arc source. The population densities were obtained from self-absorption measurements of the lines. Plasma parameters were determined spectroscopically; measurements included the electron density (from the H_β line width) and the electron temperature (from the Boltzmann plot for higher excited levels of Ar(I)). The results show that the levels 1s₅ to 1s₅ are in Saha-Boltzmann equilibrium for electron densities above 3 × 10¹⁶ cm^-3.     

Calculation of the H α line profile in a high-temperature plasma

A new method for calculating broadening of the H _α line profile in a high-temperature plasma is proposed. Using the new program H-ALPHA, one can calculate the H _α line profile with an error smaller than 3% in a wide range of electron temperatures and densities (T _e=1–500 eV, n _e=10¹⁴?10¹⁷ cm^?3). On the basis of these calculations, a method for the measurement of plasma temperature and density from the experimental H _α line profile is developed. The experimental tests of the method showed a good agreement with the diamagnetic measurements.     

An investigation of the energy exchange mechanisms involving the 23S metastable level in an RF helium plasma

The energy exchange mechanisms present in a pure helium and a helium-neon plasma were investigated using spectroscopic diagnostic techniques. The plasma was spatially resolved and only the volume element at the plasma centerline was considered in the energy- exchange analysis. The experiment was conducted with a constant total pressure of 0·7 torr, a fixed oscillator frequency of 4 MHz, and a constant input power of 1·8 kW. Emission line spectroscopy was used to determine the population densities of 16 levels in the n³S, n³P, and n³D series. Spatially resolved, self-absorption measurements of the 2³P-2³S transition were used to determine the 2³S metastable level number density. The electron number density of 3·3 × 10¹³ cm^-3 was determined from the spatially resolved H_β blue wing profile, and a lower bound excitation temperature of 8800 °K was determined from a Boltzmann plot of the spatially resolved lower bound levels of the excited helium. The addition of 10% and 20% by volume of neon gas caused a measurable decrease in the population densities of the lower bound levels of helium, while the electron number density and lower bound excitation temperature remained unchanged. Three energy exchange models (local thermal equilibrium, corona, and collisional- radiative) were examined, and the collisional-radiative model was found to best describe the excitation processes for the 2³S level. This model was also appropriate for describing the helium-neon plasma at this level.     

Measurements of emission coefficient for continuum radiation from shock-heated krypton plasmas

Using a shock tube, the ξ factor of krypton has been determined at λ = 456.1 nm by observations of the continuum radiation and simultaneous interferometric measurements of the electron number density. For the electron-density range used (1×10¹⁶cm^-3?n_e?4×10¹⁶cm^-3), we obtain an increase in the ξ factor for decreasing electron densities. These results are compared with theoretical and other experimental data.     

Electron density diagnostic potential of Ar XIV soft X-ray emission lines

Theoretical electron density-sensitive line ratios R₁-R₆ of Ar XIV soft X-ray emission lines are presented. We found that these line ratios are sensitive to the electron density n_e, and the ratio R₁ is insensitive to electron temperature T_e. Recent work has shown that accurate atomic data, such as electron impact excitation rates, is very important for an reliable determination of the electron density of laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. Present work indicates that the maximum discrepancy of line ratios introduced from different atomic data calculated with distorted wave and R-matrix approximations, is up to 18% in the range of . By comparison of these line ratios with experiment results carried out in electron beam ion trap (EBIT-II), electron density of the laboratory plasma is diagnosed, and a consistent result is obtained from R₁, R₂ and R₃. Our result is in agreement with that diagnosed by Chen et al. using triplet of N VI. A relative higher diagnosed electron density from R₂ is due to its weak sensitivity to electron temperature. A better consistency at lower T_e indicates that temperature of the laboratory plasma is lower than logT_e(K)=6.5. Comparison between the measured and theoretical ratios reveals that 32.014 Å  line is weakly blended by lines from other Ar ions, while 30.344 Å  line is strongly contaminated.     

Electron impact ionization and excitation rate coefficients in the negative glow region of a glow discharge

Some easy to use reasonable approximations for electron impact rate coefficients have been considered. The most important rate coefficients for electron collisions in noble gases are electron-neutral ionization and electron impact excitation. Electron-neutral ionization besides electron impact excitation of some states of the argon and helium atom in direct current (dc) glow discharge plasma has been calculated. The plasma parameters of electron are significant factors for computing the rate coefficients. We present first results of probe diagnostic that includes the double probe measurements of the plasma parameters, namely, electron temperature (T_e) and electron density (n_e). Electron properties obtained from the double probe characteristic curves including T_e and n_e as well as the calculated rate coefficients (ionization and excitation) were studied as a function of the axial distance from the cathode while the discharge operating parameters of voltage and pressure were varied. Two regions of the glow discharge were investigated: cathode fall region and negative glow. Particular emphasis was placed on the negative glow region.     

Electron temperature measurements in low-density plasmas by helium spectroscopy

Methods of measuring the electron temperature in low-density plasmas by He spectroscopy are examined. These utilize either the relative intensities of singlet and triplet lines or the absolute intensities of single lines. Calculations from measured and theoretical data show that both methods are seriously influenced by secondary processes, the most important of which are excitation from the metastable levels 2¹S and 2³S, and excitation transfer in electron-atom collisions combined with imprisonment of resonance radiation. The calculations give parameter limits for the validity of different methods and combinations of lines. Due to the secondary processes, the determination of T_e from relative line intensities is restricted to low-density, short-duration plasmas (typically n_e < 2 × 10¹⁶ m^-3, t_ex < 5 × 10^-6 s) or to even lower densities that depend on the apparatus dimensions (typically n_e < 3 × 10¹⁵ m^-3, L ≈ 0.1 m). For the determination of T_e from absolute line intensities, the situation is more favourable and, with a suitable choice of lines, typical restrictions on n_e and t_ex are n_e < 5 × 10¹⁷ m^-3, t_ex < 10^-5 s or n_e < 10¹⁷ m^-3, L ≈ 0.1 m for electron temperatures above 10 eV. For temperatures below 10 eV and degrees of imprisonment below 7% measurements are possible for electron densities up to 10¹⁹–10²⁰ m^-3, without any limits on t_ex or L.     

Measured collisional radiative coefficients of the 4p groups of the argon I and argon II systems

We determine the r¹ (p) coefficients of the argon I 4p ¹P₁ state (2p₂ with Paschen notation) with the λ = 696.5 nm line and of the argon II 4p ²D_{$\text{5}\text{2}$} state with the λ = 488.0 nm line in a highly ionized, low temperature (T_{e = 3?4 eV}), magnetically confined (0.2 T) plasma of a hollow cathode arc with electron densities n_e between 10¹⁹ and 10²⁰ m^?3. The neutral density n₀ is 10¹⁹ m^?3 or less. The r¹ (4p) values are (6 ± 2) × 10^?5 for argon I and (5 ± 2) × 10^?4 for argon II.     

Optical spectroscopic studies of titanium plasma produced by an Nd : YAG laser

We present optical emission characteristics of the titanium plasma produced by the fundamental (1064 nm) and second (532 nm) harmonics of a Q-switched Nd: YAG laser using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). The experimentally observed line profiles of neutral titanium (Ti I) have been used to extract the electron temperature (T _e ) using the Boltzmann plot method. The electron number density (N _e ) is calculated using the Stark broadening profile of 368.73 nm spectral line. Beside we have studied the spatial variation of electron temperature and number density as a function of laser energy for titanium plasma by placing the target material in air (at atmospheric pressure). We have determined the electron temperature and the electron number density along the axial position of the plasma plume.     

Coulomb effects in spatially separated electron and hole layers in coupled quantum wells

We report on the (magneto-) optical study of many-body effects in spatially separated electron and hole layers in GaAs/Al_xGa_1?x As coupled quantum wells (CQWs) at low temperatures (T = 1.4 K) for a broad range of electron-hole (e-h) densities. Coulomb effects were found to result in an enhancement of the indirect (interwell) photoluminescence (PL) energy with increasing the e-h density both for a zero magnetic field and at high fields for all Landau level transitions; this is in contrast to the electron-hole systems in single QWs where the main features are explained by the band-gap renormalization resulting in a reduction of the PL energy. The observed enhancement of the ground state energy of the system of the spatially separated electron and hole layers with increasing the e-h density indicates that the real space condensation to droplets is energetically unfavorable. At high densities of separated electrons and holes, a new direct (intrawell) PL line has been observed: its relative intensity increased both in PL and in absorption (measured by indirect PL excitation) with increasing density; its energy separation from the direct exciton line fits well to the X ^? and X ⁺ binding energies previously measured in single QWs. The line is therefore attributed to direct multiparticle complexes.     

Electron temperature determination in LTE and non-LTE plasmas

A method is presented for calculating electron temperatures (T_e) in dense plasmas, which does not assume equivalence with the excited level distribution temperatures (T_ex). The method involves the upper-level Saha ionization equation at the ionization limit, the limiting weighted population density (N_I/g_I) obtained from measured population densities and the experimentally obtained electron density. Electron temperatures calculated for 0.1-bar hydrogen and 1-atm helium and argon arcs are found to be up to twice as large as excited level distribution temperatures. For subatmospheric argon arcs, the calculated T_e are equivalent to the excitation temperature of the middle levels, but are two to three times smaller than the quoted T_ex for the highest levels. Reasons are discussed for the apparent invisibility of true electron temperatures and for differences between them and the excitation temperatures.     

Measurement of excited state number densities of oxygen and nitrogen in a non-equilibrium plasma

Number densities of several excited states of atomic oxygen and nitrogen have been measured in the decaying non-thermal plasma of a θ-pinch afterglow. The spatial variation of the electron density and temperature as functions of time after initiation of main bank discharge have also been measured to facilitate a comparison of the excited state number densities with model calculations. Measurements of the atomic oxygen excited states indicate that quintet to triplet spin exchange collisions and doubly excited states must be included in the model. The measured populations of the excited atomic nitrogen states agree well with those calculated at high density (N_e≈ 10¹⁴ cm^?3), but disagree badly at lower densities (N_e ≈ 10¹² cm^?3). The discrepancies seem to be real since they are larger than expected measurement uncertainty.     

The balmer alpha profile corrected for strong self-absorption

We have obtained the spectrum of the H_α line with strong self-absorption in a pulsed source. The spectrum has been corrected for self-absorption. The corrected profiles allow us to obtain plasma electron densities, which are good agreement with those obtained from the H_β line.     

Radiative transfer in the lyman α spectral line with self-consistent electron velocity distribution

Radiative transfer in the Ly α spectral line in a stationary, plane-parallel plasma of constant temperature and electron density is studied using model H-atoms with only two bound levels and a continuum. For this purpose, the equation of radiative transfer is solved simultaneously with the steady-state equations of the atomic levels and the kinetic equation of the electrons. The numerical results indicate that, in hydrogen plasmas with temperatures T ? 12,000°K and electron densities n_e ? 10¹⁶cm^?3, the high-energy tail of the electron velocity distribution deviates from a Maxwell distribution, even in cases of rather large optical thicknesses and that therefore the deviations from local thermodynamic equilibrium are increased compared with estimates based on the assumption of a Maxwellian electron velocity distribution. This qualitative conclusion should hold in spite of some deficiencies of the model which are discussed.     

Optical emission studies of sulphur plasma using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy

We present the optical emission studies of sulphur (S) plasma generated by the first (1064 nm) and second (532 nm) wavelengths of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. The target material was placed in front of laser beam in air at atmospheric pressure. The experimentally observed line profiles of neutral sulphur have been used to extract the electron temperature (T _e ) using the Boltzmann plot method, whereas the electron number density (N _e ) has been determined from the Stark broadening. The electron temperature is calculated by varying, distance from, the target surface along the line of propagation of plasma plume and also by varying the laser irradiance. Beside we have studied the variation of number density as a function of laser irradiance as well as its variation with distance from the target surface. It is observed that electron temperature and electron number density increases as laser irradiance is increased.     

Kinetische Diagnose des Helium-Niederdruckfunkens

In a short spark discharge (energy release time < 0,5 μs) at pressures between 10 and 100 Torr a pure helium plasma was created and investigated by spectroscopic techniques. The following time dependent plasma parameters could be determined (0,5 ≦ t ≦ 5 μs): pressure p from hydrodynamic considerations, electron density n_e from the line profiles and gas temperature T_g from the Boltzmann population of the higher levels, i ≧. The population densities of the levels 3 and 4 deviated from the Boltzmann-T_g-straight line and thus indicated a strong disturbance of thermal equilibrium. For the determination of the electron temperature T_e an ionization rate equation was formulated, which took into consideration electron impact ionization, three body recombination and radiation recombination. The deviation from thermal equilibrium of the spark plasma was nearly constant in the investigated pressure-time region: the ratio T_g/T_e gave ≈ 0,06; the ration n_e/n_o was about 7 orders of magnitude below the corresponding Saha ratio.     

Rydberg states in the D layer of the atmosphere and the GPS positioning errors

The noncoherent radiation in the frequency range 0.8–8.0 (GHz) formed in the D layer of the ionosphere at high solar activity due to transitions between Rydberg states is considered. The emitting layer thickness located 80–110 km above ground surface is estimated. A complicated irregular behavior of the frequency dependence of the radiation intensity for different values of å electron concentration n _e and temperature T _e due to different characteristics of electron scattering on the nitrogen and oxygen molecules is revealed. The dependences of the flux power of UHF radiation from the D layer in the indicated frequency range on the concentration and temperature of free electrons are calculated. It is shown that, at a frequency of ν = 1.44 GHz, the UHF radiation spectrum features a characteristic waist point, the position of which is almost independent of the electron temperature T _e ; i.e., a one-parameter dependence of the power flux on the electron n _e density takes place. In the frequency range of 4.0–8.0 GHz, the radiation spectrum exhibits a family of curves that, for each value of n _e and a wide range of T _e , give rise to a relationship known as the “bottleneck.” It was found that, with increasing frequency, the bottleneck moves upwards along a curve described by a quadratic dependence on the radiation frequency. For a frequency of ～5 GHz, and a certain range of temperature T _e and electron concentration within 5 · 10³ cm^?3 < n _e < 2 · 10⁴ cm^?3, an almost linear dependence of the UHF radiation power on n _e is observed. A comparative analysis of GPS signal delays at frequencies ν _f ⁽¹⁾ = 1.57 and ν _f ⁽²⁾ ≈ 5 GHz for various states of the ionosphere is performed. It is shown that, under the same condition, the use of the second frequency is more advantageous and informative. The ways of further development of the theory and experiment in studying the role of quantum resonant properties in the distortion of global satellite positioning system signals and in solving the fundamental problem of their elimination are discussed.     

Measurement of width and shift of rare gas lines emitted from a stock-tube plasma

In a diaphragm shock-tube, Ar, Kr and Xe plasmas were generated with equilibrium temperatures of 8,000 to 12,000 K. The electron densities were measured with a two-wavelength interferometer and varied from 4×10¹⁶ to 1.4×10¹⁷ cm^-3. Emission profiles of spectral lines were recorded with a polychromator setup in 1 μs intervals using a fast data acquisition system. Width w and shift d turned out to be proportional to electron density N_e for the observed lines. Stark broadening parameters w/N_e and d/N_e are presented for 3 Ar(I), 4 Kr(I) and 5 Xe(I) lines in the visible region of the spectrum.