Magnesium as a representative analyte metal in argon inductively coupled plasmas. I. An extensive collisional-radiative model

Abstract

An extensive collisional-radiative model for magnesium in an argon inductively coupled plasma is presented. Charge transfer reactions along with electron-impact and radiative processes are considered in this model, taking into account 30 effective levels for magnesium atoms and 30 effective levels for magnesium ions. Analytical expressions used for the corresponding cross sections are discussed in detail owing to the possibility of using the formulas recommended by us in kinetic modelling studies of inductively coupled plasmas and other discharges in mixtures including magnesium atoms and ions. The numerical method developed makes it possible to investigate the mechanisms by which the excited levels are populated under various conditions in an argon inductively coupled plasma characterized by a set of fundamental parameters, such as the electron temperature T e, the atom temperature T a and the electron number density n e, provided that the optical escape factors for Mg atoms ( Λ mn and Λ m ) and Mg + ions ( Λ mn + and Λ m +) are known, and the ground-state population of Mg atoms n 1, Mg + ions n 1 + and Mg 2+ ions n 1 2+ have been determined. © 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.