Spectroscopic Investigation of Recombination Process in a Pulsed Discharge Plasma Using Laser Induced Fluorescence Technique

Abstract

The temporal behavior of the population density of the first excited level of the hydrogen atom in a pulsed discharge plasma of a helium and hydrogen mixture has been measured using the laser induced fluorescence technique, while the population densities of the higher excited levels have been determined from the emission measurements. The population density of each level shows a rapid enhancement in the early stage of afterglow. The experimental results are compared with the collisional-radiative model, including various dissociation processes of hydrogen molecules. The experimental results can be explained well with the model. The population mechanism of the first excited level in the afterglow is found to be sensitive to the optical escape factor of the Lα line