Optogalvanic detection as a quantitative method in spectroscopy

The use of the optogalvanic effect for measuring spectroscopic quantities such as wavelengths, line profiles and line integrals is discussed. The quantitative aspects of absorption and optogalvanic spectroscopy are compared. It is experimentally demonstrated for calcium that optogalvanic line integral measurements are not simply linearly related to the oscillator strength. Measured optogalvanic and absorption profiles for Ne, Ar and Cu are compared and it is shown that both methods yield the same result for certain conditions of the observed plasma. The dependence of the optogalvanic profiles on the current in the plasma is demonstrated.