Measurement of the DC Stark shift for visible Nel lines and electric field distribution in the cathode sheath of an abnormal glow discharge

Abstract

We present the results of an experimental study of the DC Stark shift for seven visible NeI lines in the plane cathode sheath region of an abnormal glow discharge operated in neon with a small admixture of hydrogen. The electric field (up to 13.4 kV cm(-1)) in the cathode sheath region is measured from the p-polarized profile of the H alpha line of hydrogen using the Stark polarization spectroscopy technique. Within the realized range of the electric field, the NeI lines exhibit a quadratic Stark effect. The values of coefficients, correlating Stark shift and electric field strength, were determined, enabling their future use for unknown electric field strength measurements. Among the studied lines, so far only the Stark effect analysis of the NeI 511.367 nm line has been reported, in which case our results are in good agreement with the best fit formula proposed by Jager and Windholz (1984 Phys. Scr. 29 344) for one out of three Stark components detected under our experimental conditions.