Two-color CO2/HeNe laser interferometer for C-2 experiment

Rev Sci Instrum. 2010 Oct;81(10):10D516. doi: 10.1063/1.3478983.

Abstract

A six-channel two-color interferometer has been developed for plasma electron density measurements in the C-2 field reversed configuration experiment. A CO(2) laser is utilized as the main probe beams, while copropagating visible HeNe laser beams are mainly sensitive to vibration. Density measurements in C-2 plasmas have shown that this is a reliable turn-key system. The maximum residual phase noise after vibration compensation is less than ±5°, corresponding to a line integral density of 3×10(18) m(-2). The time resolution for routine operation is 2 μs.