title: Temperature measurements by coherent Rayleigh scattering.
abstract: We demonstrate, for the first time to our knowledge, the utility of coherent Rayleigh scattering (CRS) for temperature measurements in low-density gases and weakly ionized plasmas by measuring the translational temperature of neutral argon in a glow discharge. By analysis of the near-Gaussian spectral profile of the CRS signal, we determine temperatures with an uncertainty of </=3%. We also investigate the intensity range over which this simple Gaussian analysis can be used for temperature measurements and discuss its potential for gas diagnostics.
authors.forename: Xingguo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Peter F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meschanov
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Grinstead
authors.forename: Mikhail N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Shneider
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Miles