Pashen-Back effect for plasma diagnostics

TL;DR

This paper explores using the Paschen-Back effect and Faraday rotation to measure neutral hydrogen atom density in plasma under strong magnetic fields, offering a novel plasma diagnostic method.

Contribution

It introduces a new diagnostic technique based on the Paschen-Back effect for determining neutral atom density in hydrogen plasma.

Findings

Paschen-Back effect observed in strong magnetic fields

Resonant Faraday rotation used for plasma diagnostics

Potential for improved plasma density measurements

Abstract

The possibility of determining the magnitude of neutral atom density in hydrogen plasma was investigated using Paschen-Back effect and resonant Faraday rotation of the polarization plane of light by residual neutral atoms in the plasma. In strong magnetic fields when the Zeeman shift is greater than the distance of the hyperfine structure energy levels the Paschen-Back effect is observed. In this case, it is no longer possible to speak about the independence of the splitting of each level of a given multiplet term.