APPLICATION OF DIODE-LASERS TO DETERMINE EXCITATION TEMPERATURE IN HOLLOW-CATHODE DISCHARGES BY OPTOGALVANIC SPECTROSCOPY

The excitation temperatures of sputtered gadolinium and uranium atoms in an argon hollow cathode discharge have been determined by diode las er-excited optogalvanic spectroscopy. These results have been compared to those determined by conventional emission spectroscopy. It was fou nd that the temperatures derived from each method do not differ very m uch, but the optogalvanic method revealed a better standard deviation uncertainty due to the good signal-to-background ratios and excellent spectral resolutions. Temperature variations with discharge currents r anging from 15 to 50 mA have been examined.