Determination of the spatial characteristics of an RF electrodeless discharge by the method of emission tomography

Abstract

The spatial distribution of the density of mercury atoms in the 7{sup 3}S state in a spherical RF electrode-less gas-discharge lamp is reconstructed by the method of emission tomography. The local values of the corresponding emission coefficients, which are proportional to the density of mercury atoms in the 7{sup 3}S state, are determined from integral (over the plasma volume) measurements of the lamp radiation at a wavelength of 546.1 nm with the help of an algorithm based on the maximum entropy method. The results obtained show that, for all of the operating modes under study, the profile of the density of mercury atoms in the 7{sup 3}S state has a minimum in the center of the lamp and a maximum near its wall. At a generator current of 100 mA and cold-spot temperature of 41 deg. C, the density of mercury atoms in the 7{sup 3}S state is observed to drop substantially both in the center of the lamp and near its wall, the density in the center being reduced to almost zero. An explanation of this phenomenon is proposed.