Fiber optic catalytic probe for weakly ionized oxygen plasma characterization

Construction and operation of a novel fiber optic catalytic probe is presented. The probe is intended for measurements of atomic oxygen density in plasma postglows. The operation of the probe is based on a catalytic recombination of oxygen atoms and remote temperature sensing via optical fiber. Compared to the classical catalytic probes, the new approach results in smaller dimensions, better sensitivity, and higher immunity to the electromagnetic interference. Comparative measurements of atomic oxygen density performed simultaneously with both types of probes demonstrated a superior performance of the novel probes. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.