Dependence on the scattering angle of the electron temperature and electron density in thomson-scattering measurements on an atmospheric-pressure plasma jet.

Electron temperature and electron density measurements were made in an atmospheric-pressure argon plasma jet by line-shape analysis of Thomson-scattered laser light. The dependence of electron temperature and electron density on the scattering angle was investigated. Measurements were made using incident laser wavelengths of 532 and 355 nm. At 532 nm, the electron-ion collision frequency exceeds the Landau damping rate for shallow scattering angles, and the electron plasma wave resonance structure in the Thomson line shape is broadened. This resulted in dramatic increase in the apparent electron temperature as a function of decreasing scattering angle. At 355 nm, collisions do not affect the Thomson line shape. In this case, an angular dependence of the measured electron temperature is not expected and was not observed. Data taken at 532 nm at larger scattering angles are consistent with the 355-nm results, and show that the electrons are not in thermodynamic equilibrium with the heavy particles.