Comparative Study on Excitation Mechanism of Chromium Emission Lines in Argon Radio‐Frequency Inductively‐Coupled Plasma,Nitrogen Microwave Induced Plasma,and Argon or Nitrogen Glow Discharge Plasmas

Boltzmann plots of both atomic and ionic chromium emission lines are investigated to compare the excitation mechanisms in four different plasmas: an argon inductively‐coupled plasma (Ar‐ICP), a nitrogen high‐power microwave induced plasma (N₂‐MIP), an argon glow discharge plasma (Ar‐GDP), and a nitrogen glow discharge plasma (N₂‐GDP). The plots of the atomic lines and the ionic lines give both linear relationships as well as similar excitation temperatures in the case of the Ar‐ICP, the N₂‐MIP, and the N₂‐GDP. It implies that a thermodynamic process such as electron collision would control their excitations. However, only in the case of the ionic‐line plot in the Ar‐GDP, a departure from linear relationship is observed and the estimated excitation temperature is rather higher than that with the atomic lines, meaning that a specific excitation mechanism exists in the Ar‐GDP. A possible explanation for these results is that a charge‐transfer collision between chromium atom and argon ion plays a dominant role in exciting highly‐lying energy levels of chromium ion, especially in the Ar‐GDP.     

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.     

Influence of Spectral Line Deconvolution on Measurement of Excitation Temperature in a Wall‐Stabilized Thermal Plasma by Optical Emission Spectroscopy

Abstract

The measurement of temperature in a wall‐stabilized thermal plasma is done by optical emission spectroscopy. The absolute intensity line method, relative intensity line method, and plot of the Boltzmann function are used. Another method, based on the measurement of electron density and calculations of concentrations, is also used. The influence of spectral line deconvolution on temperature profiles is studied. The results obtained by the four methods are compared. The influence of others parameters, such as the accuracy of spectroscopic constants, and the influence of the theoritical calculations of concentrations are also discussed. These methods employ Ar I, C I and O I lines to measure the temperature of an Ar–CO₂ mixture plasma produced in a wall‐stabilized arc.