Electron - Ion Recombination Data for Plasma Applications
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Electron - ion recombination data for plasma applications Electron - ion recombination data for plasma applications Results from Electron Beam Ion Trap and Ion Storage Ring Safdar Ali ⃝c Safdar Ali, Stockholm 2012 ISBN 978-91-7447-497-8 Printed in Sweden by US-AB, Stockholm 2012 Distributor: Department of Physics, Stockholm University To my parents ABSTRACT This thesis contains results of electron-ion recombination processes in atomic ions relevant for plasma applications. The measurements were performed at the Stockholm Refrigerated Electron Beam Ion Trap (R-EBIT) and at the CRYRING heavy-ion storage ring. Dielectronic recombination (DR) cross sections, resonant strengths, rate coefficients and energy peak positions in H-like and He-like S are obtained for the first time from the EBIT measure- ments. Furthermore, the experimentally obtained DR resonant strengths are used to check the behaviour of a scaling formula for low Z, H-and He-like iso-electronic sequences and to update the fitting parameters. KLL DR peak positions for initially He-to B-like Ar ions are obtained experimentally from the EBIT measurements. Both the results from highly charged sulfur and ar- gon are compared with the calculations performed with a distorted wave ap- proximation. Absolute recombination rate coefficients of B-like C, B-like Ne and Be- like F ions are obtained for the first time with high energy resolution from storage ring measurements. The experimental results are compared with the intermediate coupling AUTOSTRUCTURE calculations. Plasma rate coeffi- cients of each of these ions are obtained by convoluting the energy dependent recombination spectra’s with a Maxwell-Boltzmann energy distribution in the temperature range of 103-106 K. The resulting plasma rate coefficients are presented and compared with the calculated data available in literature. 7 List of papers This thesis is based on the following papers, which are referred to in the text by their Roman numerals. I Photo-recombination studies at R-EBIT with a Labview con- trol and data acquisition system S. Ali, S. Mahmood, I. Orban, S. Tashenov, Y. M. Li, Z. Wu, and R. Schuch Journal of Instrumentation, 6: C01016, 2011 II The new Stockholm Electron Beam Ion Trap (S-EBIT) R. Schuch, S. Tashenov, I. Orban, M. Hobein, S. Mahmood, O. Kamalou, N. Akram, A. Safdar, P. Skog, A. Solders, H. Zhang Journal of Instrumentation, 5: C12018, 2011 III Electron-ion recombination of H- and He-like sulfur S. Ali, S. Mahmood, I. Orban, S. Tashenov, Y. M. Li, Z. Wu, and R. Schuch Journal of Physics B: Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics, 44, 225203, 2011 IV Recombination and electron impact excitation rate coefficients for S XV and S XVI S. Mahmood, S. Ali, I. Orban, S. Tashenov, E. Lindroth, and R. Schuch manuscript accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal V Electron-ion recombination rate coefficients for C II forming CI S. Ali, I. Orban, S. Mahmood, Z. Altun, P. Glans, and R. Schuch manuscript accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal VI Experimental recombination rate coefficients of Be-like F re- combining into B-like F S. Ali, I. Orban, S. Mahmood, S. D. Loch, and R. Schuch to be submitted to Astronomy & Astrophysics VII Recombination rate coefficients of Boron-like Ne S. Mahmood, I. Orban, S. Ali, Z. Altun, P. Glans, and R. Schuch to be submitted to The Astrophysical Journal Reprints were made with permission from the publishers 9 The author’s contribution The work reported in this thesis is a result of collective efforts of all group members, lead by Prof. Reinhold Schuch. In the following I will try to sum- marize my individual contribution to the presented work: Paper I: I actively took part in assembling the beam line and took part in the the experiment. Following the experiment, I analysed the data and wrote the article in close collaboration with my supervisor and other co-authors. Paper II: I helped in assembling the S-EBIT. I also tested and installed the Metal Vapor Vacuum Arc Ion source (MEVVA) on the S-EBIT for injecting metal ions. Paper III: I analysed the data, wrote the first draft of the article, which was then modified in close collaboration with my supervisor and other co-authors. Paper IV: I contributed to the data analysis and in discussions on the results and manuscript. Paper V: I compared the experimental results with the calculated data and wrote the first manuscript, which was then modified after receiving comments from my supervisor and other co-authors. Paper VI: I was involved in the measurements, I compared the calculated data with the converted temperature dependent plasma rate coefficients. I also wrote a draft of the manuscript. Paper VII: I took part in writing the manuscript, discussion about the data analysis and in proof reading the manuscript for publication. 10 Contents 1 Introduction .......................................... 13 2 Electron-ion collisions ................................... 17 2.1 Electron-ion recombination ................................... 17 2.1.1 Radiative recombination ................................. 17 2.1.2 Dielectronic recombination ............................... 18 2.2 Electron-impact ionization and excitation ......................... 20 2.2.1 Electron-impact ionization ................................ 20 2.2.2 Electron-impact excitation ................................ 22 3 Measurements at the Refrigerated Electron Beam Ion Trap . 25 3.1 Introduction and operation of EBIT .............................. 25 3.2 R-EBIT control and data acquisition ............................. 27 3.3 Gas injection system ....................................... 29 3.4 Experiments and data analysis ................................ 29 3.4.1 Highly charged sulfur ................................... 30 3.4.2 Highly charged argon ................................... 32 3.5 Results and discussion ..................................... 33 3.5.1 Highly charged sulfur ................................... 33 3.5.2 Highly charged argon ................................... 36 4 Measurements at the CRYRING ion storage ring . 39 4.1 Data analysis ............................................ 40 4.2 Results and discussion ..................................... 42 4.2.1 Recombination of B-like C and Ne .......................... 42 4.2.2 Recombination of Be-like F VI ............................. 48 5 Summary and outlook ................................... 51 6 Acknowledgement ...................................... 55 Bibliography ............................................. 57 1. Introduction The fourth state of matter often called plasma and it is believed to be the most abundant and common form of matter in the universe [1]. It has been estimated that more than 99% of matter in the universe is in state of plasma that includes the sun, most of the stars, galaxies and a significant fraction of the interstel- lar medium [2]. An important aspect of plasmas is the emission of radiation, which is the main signal to determine plasma properties such as ionization balance, temperature, density and elemental abundances. This emission take place as a result of electron-ion collision processes such as ionization, excita- tion, de-excitation, and electron-ion recombination [3]. Carbon, neon, silicon, sulfur and argon are among the most abundant ele- ments in the universe and solar system, after hydrogen and helium [4, 5]. In recent years, the astrophysical observational data collected by space-based observatories, such as XMM-Newton has revealed the existence of highly charged ions (HCIs) of these elements in astrophysics in an enormous amount. For example, with the XMM-Newton X-ray observatory, it was found that ex- plosion in the Tycho supernova remnant produced characteristics X rays from HCIs of elements ranging from O to Fe [6]. Emission of UV and x-ray ra- diation from the active solar regions show the existence of HCIs with a con- siderable abundance of almost all elements ranging from H to Ni [7]. The spectral lines emitted from HCIs of Si and S are observed from early-type stars [7]. Highly charged C is very abundant in astrophysics, e.g. in the inter- stellar medium [8] and in a planetary nebula [9]. Vast amount of electron-ion collisions data is required in order to get precise information about the struc- ture, elemental composition, energy balance, temperature distribution etc, of these astrophysical objects. It has been observed recently that HCIs are not only found in hot astro- physical plasmas but a large amount of the baryonic mass of the universe is in highly-ionized state, emitting and absorbing radiations in UV and X-ray regime [10, 11]. About 30-40% of the total baryonic matter missing from the nearby universe were found in the filaments connecting cluster of galaxies in the form of low-density warm-hot gas emitting X rays [12]. It shows the ex- istence of HCIs in galaxies. Naturally occurring highly-ionized matter on the other hand is not common on the earth because of low-temperature conditions. The ions found on the earth (outside the laboratory environment) are from the light elements such as nitrogen and oxygen, which are created as a result of ionization by cosmic rays or solar wind [7]. 13 Figure 1.1: X-ray spectrum from the Tycho type Ia supernova remnant, observed with the XMM-Newton. (Credit: XMM-Newton SOC and ESA/A. Decourchelle et al. [6]) The atomic ions such as C, Ne, Si, S and Ar are also very important for fu- sion plasma applications. For example, these are present in fusion plasmas as an impurity [13, 14, 15]. The radiation produced