Abstract
We report on the absolute density and the spatial distribution of silicon atoms in a SiH4-He-Ar dc glow discharge measured by the laser-induced fluorescence method. The absolute sensitivity of the fluorescence-photon-counting system was calibrated by using the same system to measure Rayleigh scattering by Ar gas in the discharge chamber. The fluorescence quantum efficiency and the polarization degree of emitted light were measured to confirm the absence of excited-state quenching induced by collisions with the buffer-gas atoms. The measured spatial distribution profile of the ground-state silicon atoms is compared with that of the excited-state atoms.