Stark-effect of atomic sodium measured in a hollow-cathode plasma by doppler-free spectroscopy

Abstract

The Stark widths of the 5896-Å (3^2 P_1 /2 → 3^2 S_1 /2) neutral sodium hyperfine lines in the presence of charged perturbers were measured by means of laser saturation spectroscopy. The plasma containing the sodium atoms and the perturbers was generated in a hollow cathode discharge. The Baranger and Brechot theories for the line shape of neutral atom transitions in a plasma has been extended to hyperfine structure and applied to the hyperfine components of sodium D_1 line. The theoretical and experimental results were compared and the electronic density and temperature in the discharge were evaluated.