A method to measure electric field strengths in an argon glow discharge plasma using laser spectroscopy

Author

Kim, Jung-Bae ; Kawamura, Kiyonori ; Choi, Young Wook ; Bowden, Mark D. ; Muraoka, Katsunori ; Helbig, Volkmar

Author_Institution

Interdisciplinary Graduate Sch. of Eng. Sci., Kyushu Univ., Fukuoka, Japan

Volume

26

Issue

5

fYear

1998

fDate

10/1/1998 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1556

Lastpage

1561

Abstract

A method for electric field measurement based on laser spectroscopy of argon atoms has been developed and calibrated. Measurements were made using both laser optogalvanic spectroscopy and laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy. Measurements using several different transitions in argon were carried out, and it was found that the 4s→7f and 4s→8f transitions were the most suitable for measurements in the sheath region of glow discharges. The lower limit for electric field measurements was estimated to be 500 V/cm. A minimal pressure of about 100 mtorr was required to detect optogalvanic signals and about 1 torr was required for the fluorescence signals to be detectable. These detection limits make this method applicable for measurement of sheath electric fields for a wide range of discharge conditions

Keywords

argon; electric field measurement; fluorescence; glow discharges; plasma diagnostics; plasma sheaths; 1 torr; 100 mtorr; Ar; Ar atoms; Ar glow discharge plasma; electric field measurement; electric field strengths; laser spectroscopy; laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy; sheath electric fields; sheath region; Argon; Atom lasers; Atomic beams; Atomic measurements; Electric variables measurement; Fluorescence; Glow discharges; Laser transitions; Signal detection; Spectroscopy;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0093-3813

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/27.736060

Filename

736060