Stark width and shift for electron number density diagnostics of low temperature plasma: Application to silicon Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

• Published in: Spectrochimica acta. Part B: Atomic spectroscopy Vol. 131; pp. 79 - 92
• Main Authors: Ivković, M., Konjević, N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.05.2017
• Subjects: Electron number density; Laser induced plasma spectroscopy; Spectral line shapes and intensities; Spectroscopic plasma diagnostics; Stark broadening; Spectroscopic plasma diagnostics; Stark broadening; Laser induced plasma spectroscopy; Spectral line shapes and intensities; Electron number density
• ISSN: 0584-8547; 1873-3565
• DOI: 10.1016/j.sab.2017.03.015

In this work we summarize, analyze and critically evaluate experimental procedures and results of LIBS electron number density plasma characterization using as examples Stark broadened Si I and Si II line profiles. Selected publications are covering the time period from very beginning of silicon LIBS studies until the end of the year 2015. To perform the analysis of experimental LIBS data, the testing of available semiclassical theoretical Stark broadening parameters for Si I and Si II lines was accomplished first. This is followed by the description of experimental setups, results and details of experimental procedure relevant for the line shape analysis of spectral lines used for plasma characterization. Although most of results and conclusions of this analysis are related to the application of silicon lines for LIBS characterization they are of general importance and may be applied to other elements and different low-temperature plasma sources. The analysis of experimental procedures used for LIBS diagnostics from emission profiles of non-hydrogenic spectral lines is carried out in the following order: the influence of laser ablation and crater formation, spatial and temporal plasma observation, line self-absorption and experimental profile deconvolution, the contribution of ion broadening in comparison with electron impacts contributions to the line width in case of neutral atom line and some other aspects of line shape analysis are considered. The application of Stark shift for LIBS diagnostics is demonstrated and discussed. Finally, the recommendations for an improvement of experimental procedures for LIBS electron number density plasma characterization are offered. •Theory testing for Si I and Si II Stark widths•Review of silicon LIBS experiments with electron number density characterization•Analysis of experimental procedures and results•Recommended improvements for Stark width and shift applications for LIBS diagnostics•Stark shift application for LIBS characterization demonstrated