Hydrogen Balmer beta: The separation between line peaks for plasma electron density diagnostics and self-absorption test

•Separation between peaks of Hβ line proposed for electron density diagnostics.•Derived formulas for peak separations versus electron density.•Formulas tested in high electron density low pressure pulsed arc.•Applications of formulas in optically thick plasmas proven.•Method for hydrogen Balmer beta line self-absorption testing proposed.

We propose a diagnostic technique for the measurement of plasma electron number density, Ne, based on the wavelength separation between peaks, ΔλPS, of hydrogen Balmer beta line, Hβ. In favor of the proposed diagnostic technique we demonstrate high sensitivity of ΔλPS on Ne and low sensitivity on plasma elementary processes and plasma parameters that may distort the line profile. These properties of ΔλPS enable reliable Ne plasma diagnostics in the presence of considerable self-absorption. On the basis of available theoretical data tables for the Hβ line profiles, simple Ne=f(ΔλPS) formulas are proposed. Their validity is experimentally confirmed in a low initial pressure pulsed discharge for the Ne range of (0.2-7)⁎1023 m−3. The agreement of the proposed formulas with another diagnostic technique is well within 10%. In addition, the difference in Ne values obtained from peak separation and from the Hβ line width is successfully used as a self-absorption test for line profile.