Abrupt Change in Neon Discharge Plasma Detected through Optogalvanic Effects

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2012

Publication Title

Thin Solid Films

First Page

155

Last Page

157

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tsf.2011.12.088

Abstract

When a laser is tuned between two excited energy levels of a gas in a Direct Current discharge lamp, the discharge current will experience a temporary disturbance lasting tens or hundreds of microseconds known as the optogalvanic effect. We have carried out extensive studies of optogalvanic effects in neon discharge plasmas for transitions at 621.7 nm, 630.5 nm, 638.3 nm, 650.7 nm and 659.9 nm. A nonlinear least-squares Monte Carlo technique has been used to determine the relevant amplitude coefficients, decay rates and the instrumental time constant. We discovered an abrupt change in the neon discharge plasma at a discharge current of about 6 mA.

Rights

Version of record can be found through Elsevier.

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