摘要

An optical imaging method based on Rayleigh scattering is introduced to study the spatial distribution of atomic argon clusters produced in a gas jet. The radial distribution and evolution of the clusters are captured directly by a high speed camera, resulting in greatly increased precision and accuracy. It is found that the radial distribution of the clusters follows a Gaussian curve rather than the double-humped curve observed in a previous experiment. The normalized radial and axial distributions of the clusters are not influenced by the stagnation pressure and may be strictly determined by the nozzle structure. The average cluster sizes decrease slightly at far axial distances. A method of estimating the half-angle of the nozzle is also presented.