Emission from Metastable States in a Nitrogen Ion Beam

Abstract

Metastable nitrogen ions are observed to radiate in the wavelength range 1700–3200 Å. Two lifetimes, 4.4−1.4 +2.0 and 44 ± 11 μsec, have been measured. The electron energy dependence of the excited radiation is similar to the energy dependence previously observed for the production of N3 + when N2 is bombarded by electrons.