Self-absorption characteristics of measured laser-induced plasma line shapes

The determination of electron density and temperature is reported from line-of-sight measurements of laser-induced plasma. Experiments are conducted in standard ambient temperature and pressure air and in a cell containing ultra-high-pure hydrogen slightly above atmospheric pressure. Spectra of the hydrogen Balmer series lines can be measured in laboratory air due to residual moisture following optical breakdown generated with 13 to 14 nanosecond, pulsed Nd:YAG laser radiation. Comparisons with spectra obtained in hydrogen gas yields Abel-inverted line shape appearances that indicate occurrence of self-absorption. The electron density and temperature distributions along the line of sight show near-spherical rings, expanding at or near the speed of sound in the hydrogen gas experiments. The temperatures in the hydrogen studies are obtained using Balmer series alpha, beta, gamma profiles. Over and above the application of empirical formulae to derive the electron density from hydrogen alpha width and shift, and from hydrogen beta width and peak-separation, so-called escape factors and the use of a doubling mirror are discussed.