A combined Thomson–Rayleigh scattering diagnostic using an intensified photodiode array

• Published in: Review of scientific instruments 1992-06, Vol.63 (6), p.3369-3377
• Main Authors: van de Sanden, M. C. M., Janssen, G. M., de Regt, J. M., Schram, D. C., van der Mullen, J. A. M., van der Sijde, B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Exact sciences and technology; Physics; Physics of gases, plasmas and electric discharges; Physics of plasmas and electric discharges; Plasma diagnostic techniques and instrumentation
• ISSN: 0034-6748; 1089-7623
• DOI: 10.1063/1.1142554

A combined Thomson–Rayleigh scattering device is discussed. It consists of a Nd:YAG laser as a light source in combination with a multichannel detection technique consisting of a gated light amplifier in combination with an optical multichannel analyzer. Special attention is focused on the analysis of the measured spectra. Including convolution methods and taking into account weak coherent effects increases the dynamic range and the accuracy of the measured electron density n e and temperature T e and neutral particle density n 0. Accuracies of 1%–4% for n e , 2%–6% for T e , and 10%–50% for n 0 depending on the plasma condition are obtained. The dynamic range for n e is 7×1017–1021 m−3, for n 0 is 1020–1023 m−3 and for T e is 1000–50 000 K.