Measurement of excited species in discharges using Laser Absorption spectroscopy

The population density of excited species in dc, rf and laser ablation plume plasmas has been measured using laser absorption spectroscopy. It was shown that, when the plasma was modulated by on and off with, the sensitivity and signal to noise (S/N) ratio became high. For example, the atomic O(3$^{5}$ S$^{o}$ $_2$) Population density, No* in $O_2$/He mixtures was obtained by the highest S/N ratio at a frequency of 2.7kHz. In a 20Torr room air, the lowest No* level to be detectable was shown to be an order of 10$^{7}$ cm$^{-3}$ . The population densities of resonance Ar(1S$_2$) and Xe(1S$_4$) levels were also measured in barrier discharges and laser ablation plasmas.