Cascade emission in electron beam ion trap plasma

TL;DR

This study investigates how cascade emission influences spectral formation in EBIT plasma, particularly for W13+ ions, resolving previous discrepancies and aligning theoretical predictions with experimental spectra.

Contribution

It demonstrates the significant role of cascade emission in EBIT plasma spectra and provides detailed spectral line identification for W13+ ions.

Findings

Cascade emission affects spectral line intensities.

Good agreement between calculated and measured spectra.

Identification of specific W13+ transition lines.

Abstract

We present investigation of the influence of cascade emission to the formation of spectra from plasma created by electron beam ion trap (EBIT) in electron trapping mode. It has been shown that cascade emission can play an important role in the formation of spectra from the EBIT plasma. Process of the cascade emission takes place when ion having cycloidal orbit leaves electron beam where coronal approximation is applicable. Thus both processes - excitation from ground or metastable levels and cascade emission - take part in the population of levels. Demonstration is based on the investigation of $W^{13+}$ spectra. The present investigation helps to resolve long-standing discrepancies; in particular, the present structure of $W^{13+}$ spectra is in good agreement with measurements on electron beam ion trap. Lines in the experimental spectra are identified as $4f^{13} 5s 5p \rightarrow 4f^{13} 5s^{2}$ and $4f^{12} 5s 5p^{2} \rightarrow 4f^{12} 5s^{2} 5p$ transitions from Dirac-Fock-Slater calculations.