Electric-field measurements in 13.56 MHz helium discharges

Abstract

Laser excitation of helium singlet Rydberg states results in fluorescence emanating from many other states including those in the triplet system. By monitoring this fluorescence, it is possible to observe the Stark broadening of the Rydberg states in the presence of an electric field. This technique can be used to measure electric fields in 13.56 MHz parallel-plate discharges with a high degree of spatial and temporal resolution.