APPLICATIONS OF SPECTRAL LINES FOR LOW ELECTRON DENSITY PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS

Abstract. This work comprises an analysis of optical emission spectroscopy (OES) techniques and results of their application for diagnostics of middle and low electron densities (Ne) in low temperature plasmas. The discussion will be limited primarily to the applications of the methods based on the use of: Stark – widths and shifts of non-hydrogenic neutral and singly ionized atom lines, line shape of neutral helium lines with forbidden components and molecular nitrogen band heads intensities. In this study all these techniques are critically evaluated, tested and applied for diagnostics of microwave induced plasma (MIP), low pressure pulsed arcs or capillary discharge. 1