Laser Induced Fluorescence Spectroscopy on Neutral Xenon: Two-Photon Cross Sections and Measurements in an Ion Thruster Plume

摘要

Two-photon absorption laser induced fluorescence (TALIF) measurements in neutral xenon are presented both in a cold gas cell and in the plume of the radiofrequency ion thruster RIT-10. Measurements in the cold gas cell concentrate on the characterization of TALIF schemes involving levels of the 6p and 6p' multiplets with respect to natural lifetimes, collisional deactivation coefficients and two-photon absorption cross sections. The feasibility of two TALIF schemes including the 6p'[l/2]o and 6p'[3/2]2 levels has been demonstrated in the plume of the RIT-10. Relative particle densities have been measured at a distance of 12 cm downstream the acceleration grid in the center of the plume axis.