Measurements of Electron‐Impact Excitation Cross Sections out of the Ground and Metastable Levels of Rare Gases with Applications to Low‐Temperature Plasmas

Methods for measuring cross sections for electron‐impact excitation into the 2p levels (Paschen's notation) out of the metastable levels of argon are described. The results of the cross sections and their relation to the corresponding cross sections for excitation out of the ground state are explained by a multi‐pole field model. Applications to plasma diagnostics are discussed. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)