Measurements of the Linear Polarization of Satellite Transitions from Li- and Be- like Ar Ions

Published

June 18, 2020

Author(s)

Amy Gall, Dipti Goyal, Sean W. Buechele, Samuel C. Sanders, Roshani Silwal, Csilla Szabo-Foster, N Brickhouse, Yuri Ralchenko, Endre A. Takacs

Abstract

Non-thermal electron distributions, such as beams of electrons, are found in many laboratory and astrophysical plasma sources and can produce anisotropic and polarized emission. Theories used to model the emission require sublevel specific analysis, which can be difficult to experimentally verify. Using two polarization-sensitive Johann-type crystal spectrometers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) electron beam ion trap facility, we measured the linear polarization of well-known dielectronic recombination satellite transitions from Li-like Ar ions, and two blended features from Be-like ions. The spectrometers observed at 90o relative to the electron beam propagation direction and the crystal dispersion planes were oriented perpendicular relative to each other to allow for differing polarization sensitivities. Measurements were taken near the resonance energies of each line and compared with theoretical predictions based on relativistic magnetic sublevel atomic kinetics using the density-matrix theory. Generally, predictions are in excellent agreement with measured values.

Citation

Journal of Physics B-Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics

Volume

53

Issue

14

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6455/ab8eff

Local Download

Keywords

atomic processes, methods: laboratory: atomic, techniques: spectroscopic, dielectronic recombination, polarization, highly-charged ions

Citation

Gall, A. , Goyal, D. , Buechele, S. , Sanders, S. , Silwal, R. , Szabo-Foster, C. , Brickhouse, N. , Ralchenko, Y. and Takacs, E. (2020), Measurements of the Linear Polarization of Satellite Transitions from Li- and Be- like Ar Ions, Journal of Physics B-Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics, [online], https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6455/ab8eff, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=929669 (Accessed October 20, 2025)