Spectroscopic study of a laser-produced lead plasma: experimental atomic transition probabilities for PbIII lines

The optical emission from a laser produced plasma (LPP) generated by a 10 6 40 Angstrom laser irradiation, with a flux of 2 x 10(10) W cm(-2), on Pb ta rgets was recorded and analysed between 2000 and 7000 Angstrom; spectral li nes emitted by the first two ionization species of Pb were studied in a wid e range of plasma parameters. First experimental values of the atomic trans ition probabilities for ten spectral lines of Pb III have been determined b y measurement of emission line intensities from an optically thin LPP of Pb in an atmosphere of Ar. The studied plasma has a temperature of about 25 3 00 K and an electron density of 10(17) cm(-3). Local thermodynamic equilibr ium conditions and plasma homogeneity has been checked.