Plasma production in a Cs vapor by a weak CW laser beam at 6010 Å

Abstract

Abstract When a dye laser beam at 6010.5 A (which excites the Cs 6 2 P 1 2 →8D 3 2 transition), of power 0.1 W, is focused into a Cs vapor of density ≳ 10 17 cm -3 , we observe a bright localized white glow near the laser focus. Our experiments indicate that this glow is due to the production of a Cs plasma, which exhibits many characteristics of a discharge plasma, like emission of numerous atomic lines and of recombination continua, plasma-broadening of atomic lines, and hysterisis. This laser-produced plasma is in Saha equilibrium with a typical electron density of 3 × 10 14 cm -3 , and a typical electron temperature of 0.2 eV.