Line shapes of atomic hydrogen in a plane-cathode abnormal glow discharge

Abstract

Hydrogen Balmer lines were observed in the plasma of a plane-cathode abnormal glow discharge in mixtures of argon or neon with hydrogen and in pure hydrogen. Intense spectral-line wing development was detected whenever argon was present in the plasma. This effect is related to the formation of H2+ ions in a charge-transfer reaction between metastable Ar+ and H2 molecules. © 1992 The American Physical Society.