Laser-Induced Fluorescence of Xe I and Xe II in Ambipolar Plasma Flow

Journal Article · Thu Aug 02 00:00:00 EDT 2018 · IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/tps.2018.2857508· OSTI ID:1512475

Svarnas, Panagiotis ^[1]; Romadanov, Ivan ^[2]; Diallo, Ahmed ^[3]; Raitses, Yevgeny ^[3]

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1. Univ. of Patras, Rion-Patras (Greece)
2. Univ. of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK (Canada)
3. Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)

Laser-induced fluorescence diagnostic technique is applied here to probe xenon neutrals and single-charged ions in an ambipolar plasma source. A single tunable diode laser is employed for pumping both following transitions: 6s ² [1/2] ₁ ⁰ -6p ² [3/2] ₁ ⁰ (centered at 834.68 nm; air) and 5d[4] _7/2 -6p[3] _5/2 (centered at 834.72 nm; air), for Xe I and Xe II detection, respectively. The corresponding decay states are 6s[3/2] ₁ ⁰ and 6s[2] _3/2 leading to fluorescence signal at 473.415 and 541.915 nm, respectively. A detailed description of the experimental setup along with time-averaged fluorescence signals are presented, demonstrating the possible application of the above adjacent pumping wavelengths in xenon ambipolar plasmas for probing both ions and neutrals under various operating conditions. Furthermore a comprehensible discussion to what extent the registered laser-induced fluorescence signals mirror velocity distribution functions is realized, following hyperfine splitting and isotopic shift analysis.

• Research Organization: Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• Grant/Contract Number: AC02-09CH11466
• OSTI ID: 1512475
• Journal Information: IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, Vol. 46, Issue 11; ISSN 0093-3813
• Publisher: IEEE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ambipolar plasmas
cylindrical hall thrusters (CHTs)
laser-induced fluorescence
xenon gas