Spectroscopic studies of a plasma temperature and radiation standard based on a wall-stabilized arc

The absolute determination of the axial temperature (12,000 K ≤ T ≤ 14,500 K, 0.9×10²³ m^-3 ≤ N_e ≤2.5×10^-3 m^-3 of a 3 mm bore wall-stabilized arc operating in argon at 1.75×10⁵ Pa is described using spectroscopic techniques both in the visible and vacuum u.v. spectral regions. Computer simulation techniques to predict the line wing correction for the A(I) line at 430 nm and a detailed study of sources of systematic error have been applied. The reproducibility of the temperature results and the establishment of LTE demonstrates the suitability of the source as a plasma temperature and radiation standard. A detailed study of the Stark broadening of H_β and the comparison of the experimental profiles with the theories of Kepple and Griem and Vidal, Cooper and Smith has shown the former giving N_e values some 11% lower and the latter 1% higher than the pure argon diagnostics at N_e ? 2 × 10²³ m^-3. New values for the argon transition probabilities of two lines and continuum factors at two wavelengths are presented.