Observation of line radiation from highly charged Mo ions in a vacuum-spark plasma

Abstract

Using a curved-crystal spectrograph of the transmission type the X-ray emission from a low-inductance vacuum-spark with Mo-electrodes has been investigated in the wavelength range 0.5A<λ}<0.9A. By means of a noise suppression technique, a number of weak lines have been resolved from the continuum. Comparing the measured wavelengths to results of relativistic energy level calculations these lines are identified as belonging to electronic transitions within singly excited heliumlike MoXLI ions and doubly excited lithiumlike MoXL ions. Continuum and line emission are used to estimate electron temperature and density.