Measurement of the Stark broadening parameters of some singly ionized argon lines

Abstract

Half-widths of fifteen Stark broadened argon II lines have been measured in argon plasma behind the reflected shock wave produced in an electromagnetically driven “T” tube. The plasma electron density was determined by the laser interferometry at three different wavelengths, while the plasma temperature was measured from relative intensities of A II lines. Temperatures were in the range 8,500–16,500 °K; electron densities varied from 1.82 to 3.94 · 10¹⁷ cm⁻³. The measured A II linewidths are compared with theoretical and other experimental results. It is shown that a) the broadening of A II lines is in good agreement with the theory, b) line broadening increases linearly with electron density, and c) the Stark broadened lines follow the dispersion profile to the distance of at least three halfwidths from the line center.