Abstract

The spectral characteristics of arcs operated in several kilotorr of mercury vapor with lower pressures of various metal iodides can be explained on the basis of local thermal equilibrium among all components of the plasma except for the radiation itself. The fraction of atoms excited to an electronic state depends only on the excitation energy of the state and the plasma temperature. Conversely, the plasma temperature depends strongly on excitation energy for those transitions responsible for the principal radiative output. Plasma temperature, excitation energies, and number of radiating atoms can be related quantitatively and can lead to calculated plasma temperatures in satisfactory agreement with experimental determinations of temperature.

© 1964 Optical Society of America

Characteristics of Mercury Vapor–Metallic Iodide Arc Lamps

Gilbert H. Reiling
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 54(4) 532-540 (1964)

Some Characteristics of Pulsed Na- and Tl-Iodide Monatomic Gas Arcs

P. D. Johnson and T. H. Rautenberg
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 54(12) 1425-1428 (1964)

On the Question of Equilibrium in Mercury + Thallium Iodide Arc Discharges

C. F. Gallo
Appl. Opt. 5(8) 1285-1291 (1966)

The Effect of Thallium Iodide on the Arc Temperature of Hg Discharges

C. F. Gallo
Appl. Opt. 6(9) 1563-1565 (1967)

Theoretical Analysis of the Behavior of Mercury plus Thallium Iodide Arc Lamps with Variable Mercury Loadings

C. F. Gallo
Appl. Opt. 9(12) 2711-2716 (1970)