Electric field diagnostics in a continuous rf plasma using Rydberg-EIT

Abstract: We present a non-invasive spectroscopic technique to measure electric fields in plasma, leveraging large polarizabilities and Stark shifts of Rydberg atoms. Rydberg Stark shifts are measured with high precision using narrow-linewidth lasers via Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT) of rubidium vapor seeded into a continuous, inductively coupled radio-frequency (rf) plasma in a few mTorr of argon gas. Without plasma, the Rydberg-EIT spectra exhibit rf modulation sidebands caused by electric- and magnetic-dipole transitions in the rf drive coil. With the plasma present, the rf modulation sidebands vanish due to screening of the rf drive field from the plasma interior. The lineshapes of the EIT spectra in the plasma reflect the plasma's Holtsmark microfield distribution, allowing us to determine plasma density and collisional line broadening over a range of pressures and rf drive powers. The work is expected to have applications in non-invasive spatio-temporal electric-field diagnostics of low-pressure plasma, plasma sheaths, process plasma and dusty plasma.