Measurement of electron collision rates in a hydrogen plasma via laser-induced resonance fluorescence

A method involving resonance fluorescence induced by lasers in the visible and infrared ranges is used for the direct quantitative measurement of rates of electron collisions between excited states in a hydrogen plasma. A differential-equation method, a time integrated procedure, and a lifetime method can be used in computing the collision rates. Theoretical models for the determination of collision rates, including classical approximations, quantum-mechanical representations, and semiempirical models, are compared with the laser method.