Calibration of electric field induced energy level shifts in argon

Summary form only given, as follows. Argon is a commonly used gas in a number of discharges. As such it is an ideal candidate for spectroscopic based electric field measurements within the sheath and bulk discharge regions. Recently, measurements demonstrated the use of the Stark induced shifts of high lying energy levels in argon to make spatially and temporally resolved electric field measurements. However, that method relied on the cross calibration of known and calculable shifts in helium discharges to calibrate, in-situ, the energy level shifts in argon. The poster shows the use of an atomic beam system to calibrate the electric field induced shift of high lying energy levels directly. In addition, data on very high lying argon levels, up to the 20 F manifold, were obtained. Comparison of our electric field induced energy level shift calibration curves with previous work is shown. The possibility of using this system to calibrate energy level shifts in other gases of technological interest to the microelectronics and lighting industry is discussed.