Single frequency scanning laser as a plasma diagnostic
Abstract
In this paper we report the development of the single frequency dye laser as a plasma diagnostic for measuring ion velocity distributions with a resolution limited only by the natural linewidth of the laser excited resonance transition. For the 6S1/2-6P1/2 transition in Ba+ this corresponds to a velocity uncertainty of 103 cm/s. Velocity selection is performed by the laser as it scans the Doppler broadened plasma absorption line, in contrast with the usual method of scanning an emission line with a high-resolution spectrometer. Both sensitivity and resolution are improved by 2 orders of magnitude, allowing nonperturbing measurements to be made at densities below 107 cm-3. In addition to a description of the technique, sample measurements of time-resolved wave induced modifications of ion velocity distributions are shown.
- Publication:
-
Review of Scientific Instruments
- Pub Date:
- March 1983
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.1137389
- Bibcode:
- 1983RScI...54..309H
- Keywords:
-
- Dye Lasers;
- Frequency Scanning;
- Laser Spectroscopy;
- Plasma Diagnostics;
- Spectral Line Width;
- Absorption Spectra;
- High Resolution;
- Ion Temperature;
- Spectral Sensitivity;
- Temporal Resolution;
- Velocity Distribution;
- Velocity Measurement;
- Lasers and Masers