Laser interferometry and photon scattering in plasma diagnostics

Abstract

Various methods for determining the characteristics of high-temperature plasmas using lasers are reviewed. Ordinary interferometric techniques are discussed with the extension of these ideas to active and passive laser cavity probing. It is seen that these methods well complement existing techniques for the determination of electron densities within the range10^{10}\lsim n_{e}\lesssim10^{17}electrons/cm³. Plasma probing using photon scattering is examined and it is shown that the electron density, electron temperature, and ion temperature may be found. In addition a considerable amount of information can be obtained which pertains to the kinetic theory of plasmas. Experimental detail pertaining to these methods is given along with their practical limitations.