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Title: The role of He in enhancing the intensity and lifetime of H and D emissions from laser-induced atmospheric-pressure plasma

Journal Article · · Journal of Applied Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3129317· OSTI ID:21352204
; ; ; ;  [1]; ;  [2]; ; ;  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6]
  1. Research Center of Maju Makmur Mandiri Foundation, 40 Srengseng Raya, Kembangan, Jakarta Barat 11630 (Indonesia)
  2. Department of Nuclear Power and Energy Safety Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Fukui University, Fukui 910-8507 (Japan)
  3. Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Syiah Kuala University, Darussalam, Banda Aceh, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam 23111 (Indonesia)
  4. Department of Chemistry and Bio-Science, Faculty of Science, Kagoshima University, 1-21-35 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065 (Japan)
  5. Department of Physics, Faculty of Education and Regional Studies, Fukui University, 9-1 Bunkyo 3-chome, Fukui 910-8507 (Japan)
  6. Physics of Magnetism and Photonics Research Group, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Bandung Institute of Technology, 10 Ganesha, Bandung 40132 (Indonesia)

A series of measurements have been performed on the time dependences of the intensities of helium, hydrogen, and deuterium emission lines from the corresponding laser-induced helium plasma at atmospheric pressure for two different He flow rates. The prolonged H{sub a}lpha and H{sub b}eta emissions along with their constant intensity ratio over a relatively extended period indicate the need to provide an alternative excitation mechanism other than the well-known thermal excitation process in a hot plasma. This additional excitation mechanism is also related to the metastable excited state of a He atom as indicated by the similar characteristics of the observed time dependence of the emission intensities. The enhanced intensity and lifetime of He emission at a high He flow rate was explained in terms of the collision-induced increase in the number of He atoms excited to above the 2 {sup 1}S{sub 0} metastable state, which was also responsible for the delayed excitation of H and D atoms via an energy transfer mechanism involving a Penning-like chemi-ionization process. Finally, the benefits of He-assisted delayed excitation of H and D atoms and the aforementioned enhanced intensity and lifetime at a high He flow rate were demonstrated by the achievement of clearly resolved H{sub a}lpha and D{sub a}lpha emission lines.

OSTI ID:
21352204
Journal Information:
Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 105, Issue 10; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3129317; (c) 2009 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0021-8979
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English