ARGON ION LASER-INDUCED FLUORESCENCE WITH DIODE-LASERS

Diode lasers have been used for ion temperature measurements in ArII p lasmas by finding new laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) schemes suited to the present range of available wavelengths. The new LIF schemes req uire excitation at 664, 669, and 689 nm, all near industry-standard wa velengths. Conventional LIF measurements performed by dye lasers in Ar II use 611.66 nm in vacuum, shorter than any commercially available re d diode laser line, and depend on the population of the 3d' (2)G(9/2) metastable state. The metastable state density of the conventional LIF scheme was found to be larger than the populations of the other metas table states by an order of magnitude or less. A master oscillator pow er amplifier diode laser was used both in a Littman-Metcalf cavity and as an optical amplifier for a low power diode laser which was in a Li ttman-Metcalf cavity. Both systems provided intensity of up to 500 mW, continuously tunable over 10 nm centered at 666 nm, and were used to obtain high resolution ion velocity distribution functions. (C) 1998 A merican Institute of Physics.