Density Diagnostics of an Argon Plasma by Heavy Ion Beams and Spectroscopy

Abstract

Experiments have been performed to investigate charge state and energy loss of 5.9-MeV/u uranium ions in a partially ionized dense argon plasma with 10 17 ≤ n e ≤ 10 19 cm −3 and 1 ≤ T e ≤ 10 eV. The charge state of the ions was found to be equal to the equilibrium charge state in cold gas. The energy loss offered a useful tool for plasma density diagnostics. Spectroscopic measurements using the electron collision broadening of ArII- and ArIII-lines in the visible and UV spectral region confirm this plasma density data.