Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) Data for Neutral Argon (ArI) in a Large Scale Helicon Plasm

When neutral and ion densities are spatially non-uniform, neutral-ion collisions can exert a torque on a magnetized plasma column via the FxB force, where F is the force exerted on ions by neutrals. This FxB force may have a significant effect on the dynamics of plasma instabilities and flows. In order to investigate the role of neutral dynamics in helicon discharges in the HelCat (\underline {Hel}icon-\underline {Cat}hode) plasma device at U. New Mexico, an Ar I Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) system has been developed. The LIF system is based on a \textgreater 250 mW, tunable solid state laser. The laser will pumps the metastable ($^{\mathrm{2}}$P$^{\mathrm{0}}_{\mathrm{3/2}})$4s level to the ($^{\mathrm{2}}$P$^{\mathrm{0}}_{\mathrm{1/2}})$4p level using 696. 7352 nm light, and fluorescence radiation from decay to the ($^{\mathrm{2}}$P$^{\mathrm{0}}_{\mathrm{1/2}})$4s level at 772. 6333 nm is observed. The system design and initial data will be presented.