SPECTROSCOPIC DETERMINATION OF FUNDAMENTAL PARAMETERS IN AN ARGON MICROWAVE-INDUCED PLASMA (SURFATRON) AT ATMOSPHERIC-PRESSURE

Some fundamental properties, of microwave-induced plasmas produced in a surfatron by a surface wave at a frequency of 2450 MHz and atmospheric pressure, were determined by spectroscopic techniques under various experimental conditions. These properties include electron number density and excitation, and electron and rotational temperatures. These spectroscopic diagnostics permit the characterization of departure from Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (LTE) in this plasma.