Characterization of the pulse plasma source

Characterization of the pulse plasma source through the determination of the local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) threshold is described. The maximum electron density measured at the peak in discharge current is determined by the width of the He II Paschen alpha spectral line, and the electron temperature is determined from the ratios of the relative intensities of spectral lines emitted from successive ionized stages of atoms. The electron density and temperature maximum values are measured to be 1.3 × 10¹⁷ cm^-3 and 19 000 K, respectively. These are typical characteristics for low-pressure, pulsed plasma sources for input energy of 15.8 J at 130 Pa pressure in helium-argon mixture. The use of LTE-based analysis of the emission spectra is justified by measurement of the local plasma electron density at four positions in the discharge tube using a floating hairpin resonance probe. The hairpin resonance probe data are collected during the creation and decay phases of the pulse. From the spatio-temporal profile of the plasma density a 60 νs time-window during which LTE exists throughout the entire plasma source is determined.