Exchange energy shifts under dense plasma conditions

Abstract

The variation of the energy interval between the intercombination line (1s2p(3P1)→1s2) and the resonance line (1s2p(1P1)→1s2) of He-like aluminium with plasma density and temperature is investigated. Since such energy interval is equivalent to the exchange energy of the state 1s2p(3P1), we consider the dependence of this energy shift on the plasma environment. It was found that the shifts of exchange energy increase (decrease) with the increase of electron density (electron temperature), and the shifts of exchange energy become more sensitive to the electron density as the electron temperature decreases, i.e. in the strongly coupled plasma regime. An approximately linear relation is found between the shifts of exchange energy and the electron density. The results show that dense plasma effects are very important for the simulation of the spectral fine structure. The relative shifts between the intercombination (1s2p(3P1)→1s2) and the resonance line (1s2p(1P1)→1s2) are discussed for diagnostic applications.