Recombining helium--neon plasma

Journal Article · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1985 · Sov. Phys. - Tech. Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States)

OSTI ID:5411970

Belyaev, A K

Recombining helium-neon plasmas are studied theoretically for free electron densities N/sub e/ = 10/sup 13/--10/sup 17/ cm/sup -3/, electron temperatures T/sub e/ = 0.05--0.50 eV, and heavy particle densities N<10/sup 18/ cm/sup -3/. The populations of the helium and neon levels are calculated in the steady sink approximation. It is shown that pure neon plasmas are not well suited as laser media. However, a large stable Ne(4s)-Ne(3p) population inversion can be achieved in a recombining neon--helium plasma. Optimum concentration ratios in the ranges N/sub Ne//N/sub He/< or =10/sup -3/ and N/sub Ne//N/sub e/ = 10/sup 1/--10/sup 3/ are determined, and simple formulas are derived for the Ne(4s) level populations. Inversion is shown to occur both in a recombining He--Ne plasma and when a recombining pure helium plasma is mixed with neon atoms in the ground state.

• Research Organization: A. I. Gertsen State Pedagogic Institute, Leningrad
• OSTI ID: 5411970
• Journal Information: Sov. Phys. - Tech. Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States), Journal Name: Sov. Phys. - Tech. Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States) Vol. 30:3; ISSN SPTPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
DISPERSIONS
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
ELEMENTS
ENERGY-LEVEL DENSITY
FLUIDS
GASES
HELIUM
LASER MATERIALS
MATERIALS
MIXTURES
NEON
NONMETALS
PLASMA
RARE GASES
RECOMBINATION