Electric field induced Lyman-α emission is a new way of measuring weak electric fields in vacuum and in a plasma. It is based on the emission of Lyman-α radiation (121.6 nm) by a low-energy metastable H atom beam due to Stark-quenching of the 2s level induced by the field. In this paper, we describe the technique in detail. Test measurements have been performed in vacuum between two plates polarized at a controlled voltage. The intensity of emitted radiation, proportional to the square of the field modulus, has been recorded by a lock-in technique, which gives an excellent signal to noise ratio. These measurements provide an in situ calibration that can be used to obtain the absolute value of the electric field. A diagnostic of this type can help to address a long standing challenge in plasma physics, namely, the problem of measuring electric fields without disturbing the equilibrium of the system that is being studied.
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June 2015
Research Article|
June 26 2015
Electric field induced Lyman-α emission of a hydrogen beam for electric field measurements
L. Chérigier-Kovacic;
L. Chérigier-Kovacic
a)
1
Aix-Marseille Université
, CNRS, PIIM UMR 7345, FR-13397 Marseille Cedex 20, France
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P. Ström
;
P. Ström
b)
2Department of Fusion Plasma Physics,
Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)
, Teknikringen 31, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
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A. Lejeune;
A. Lejeune
c)
3
CAMECA SAS - 29 Quai des Grésillons
, 92622 Gennevilliers Cedex, France
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a)
Electronic mail: [email protected]
b)
Electronic mail: [email protected]
c)
Electronic mail: [email protected]
d)
Electronic mail: [email protected]
Rev. Sci. Instrum. 86, 063504 (2015)
Article history
Received:
March 19 2015
Accepted:
June 08 2015
Citation
L. Chérigier-Kovacic, P. Ström, A. Lejeune, F. Doveil; Electric field induced Lyman-α emission of a hydrogen beam for electric field measurements. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 1 June 2015; 86 (6): 063504. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4922856
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