High repetition rate laser induced fluorescence applied to surfatron induced plasmas : the method, proof of principle and preliminary results

The reaction kinetics in the excitation space of Ar and the conversion space of Ar-molecule mixtures is explored using the combination of high rep-rate YAG-Dye laser systems with a well defined and easily controllable Surfatron Induced Plasma set-up. Applying the method of Saturation Time Resolved Laser Induced Fluorescence (SaTiRe-LIF) we could trace excitation and conversion channels and determine rates of electron and heavy particles excitation kinetics. The time resolved density disturbances initiated by the laser, observed in the Ar excitation space, reveal excitation channels and corresponding rates; responses of molecular radiation in argon-molecule mixtures point to the presence of conversion processes induced by heavy particle excitation kinetics.