Electron number density measurement on a DC argon plasma jet by stark broadening of Ar I spectral line

Abstract

In thermal plasma processing, input power and gas flow rate play a major role in controlling the plasma jet temperature, velocity and density. Emission spectroscopy study is an important method for plasma diagnostics. A DC atmospheric plasma spray torch was operated at different power levels and flow rates of plasma gas (argon). Electron number density of the plasma jet, the corresponding temperature and the degree of ionization were determined using stark broadening of the Ar I (430.010 nm) line, the atomic Boltzmann plot method and the Saha equation, respectively. In the present work, we have investigated the effect of input power, axial position of the plasma jet and gas flow rate on the electron number density in the plasma jet. While an increase in input power considerably increased the electron number density, gas flow rate did not show any significant effect on the same.