Spectroscopic studies of plasma temperature in a low-pressure hydrogen plasma

A low-pressure hydrogen plasma, ignited by a microwave antenna system working at a frequency of 2.45 GHz and heated by a main theta pinch device is the source of radiation. After heating the plasma and applying the high ionization stages of the impurity element, for example Nz, the electron temperature, T-e, can be estimated from the relative intensities of the spectral lines appearing at the successive ionization stages of the impurity elements. Also, the ion temperature, T-i, of impurity elements (such as N-2, O-2 and C-2) and the working hydrogen gas element can be determined using spectral line broadening mechanisms due to plasma heating. The ion temperature for H-alpha was approximately 6 eV in the cold plasma near the wall region, while it was 43 eV in the hot plasma core. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.