Nitrogen atom recombination in high pressure Ar-N2flowing post-discharges

Abstract

The afterglow resulting from the nitrogen atom recombination in a flowing Ar-N₂ microwave discharge (915 MHz and 100 W) is characterized by the first positive emission from N₂ (B,V'). This emission occurs with a vibrational enhancement which is shifted from V'=11 in pure nitrogen to V'=8 in an Ar-2%N₂ mixture. The N-N recombination rates producing N₂(B,V') in Ar-x%N₂ mixtures (x varies from 2-100%) were calculated from the measurement of the first positive emission intensity by spectrometry and the determination of the nitrogen atom concentration by a NO titration. Normalized values were obtained from previous published data in pure nitrogen.