Utilization of an arc-heated jet for production of supersonic seeded beams of atomic nitrogen

Abstract

Intense supersonic beams of atomic nitrogen (≳10¹⁷ atoms sr⁻¹ sec⁻¹) have been produced from the dissociation of N₂ in an Ar arc (at temperatures in excess of 6000 K) using the arc‐heated nozzle beam source of Young, Rodgers, and Knuth. Experiments characterizing the N₂ dissociation and the translational energies of the N, N₂, and Ar components in the beams are described. Evidence is presented for the formation of atomic C as well as C₂ and CH from the pyrolysis of CH₄ and C₂H₄ in the Ar arc.