Experimental and theoretical investigation of a N2-O2DC flowing glow discharge

Abstract
A study has been performed to investigate the kinetics of production of N atoms and NO molecules in DC N2-O2 flowing glow discharges at pressure rho =2.0 Torr for discharge currents I=15, 30, 80 mA. Measurements of the plasma parameters, reduced electric field E/N, electronic density ne, as well as of the gas temperature Tg, the vibrational temperature Tnu of N2 molecules and the concentration of N atoms and NO molecules have been carried out over the whole range of oxygen percentages (0-100%). This set of measurements is compared to the results of a one-dimensional model including a detailed vibrational kinetics, a large number of chemical reactions and the thermal balance of the discharge.