Light-induced current in plasma

The theory of light-induced current (LIC) in plasma, and the results of experimental investigation of this effect are presented. The current was induced by laser radiation in helium and hydrogen rf discharge. The measured magnitude of this current was 1 mu A in helium and 0.04 mu A in hydrogen plasma. The theoretical estimations of LIC magnitude, its dependence on laser frequency detuning, and gas pressure are found to be in good agreement with experimental data. The application of LIC in measuring ionization and transport collision rates of excited atoms is also discussed. A light-induced current may have been an important mechanism in the magnetic field generation in stellar atmospheres, in particular, in the solar atmosphere.