Profiles of transitions in Ar VIII

Abstract

The gas-liner pinch has been developed into a well-diagnosed plasma device most suitable for line shape studies of multiply ionized atoms. One special feature is the dual gas inlet system, which allows one to seed the final dense plasma column along its axis with test gas ions of interest at variable concentration. Temperatures and densities of electrons, main and test gas ions are measured by collective Thomson scattering employing a ruby laser. Reliable comparisons with theoretical line profiles are thus possible stimulating refined calculations. Furthermore, macroscopic instabilities can be induced by high test gas concentrations offering the possibility of line shape studies under such conditions. In this report line shape measurements of two Ar VIII lines embedded in dense hydrogen plasmas are presented at stable plasma conditions and compared with theoretical calculations.