LIF measurement of population density in a pulsed rf discharge

Abstract

A laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) technique has been applied to the measurement of population density in a pulsed parallel-plates rf discharge at 0.1 Torr pressure. The method is based on a single rotational line excitation-detection LIF scheme on the first positive band system of . This approach makes the correct application of a standard model of three-level rate equations to the description of the LIF process for the treatment of experimental results possible. Conditions for true single-line operation using a line-width pulsed tunable laser are discussed and applied to the measurement. The measured density value is then used for the absolute density calibration of a previous relative vibrational distribution of -9) obtained by a non-single-line excitation-detection LIF measurement.