Effect of a small C{sub 3}O{sub 2} additive on the vibrational distribution function of CO molecules in a low-temperature plasma
- St. Petersburg State University, Fock Research Institute of Physics (Russian Federation)
- Troitsk Institute for Innovation and Fusion Research (Russian Federation)
The concentration of carbon suboxide (C{sub 3}O{sub 2}) in the plasmas of sealed-off discharges in mixtures of CO with noble gases is measured for the first time by mass-spectroscopic technique. It is shown that the production of C{sub 3}O{sub 2} (and, possibly, more complex carbon oxides) in a gas-discharge plasma significantly boosts the vibrational relaxation of CO molecules and thus greatly affects their vibrational populations. Adding xenon to a He: CO mixture reduces the concentration of C{sub 3}O{sub 2}. The effect of pulsed UV radiation on the vibrational populations of CO molecules is studied experimentally. It is shown that UV irradiation of the gas mixture after long-term discharge operation increases vibrational populations in the plateau region up to the values observed at the beginning of the discharge. This effect is attributed to the decay of C{sub 3}O{sub 2} molecules under the action of UV radiation.
- OSTI ID:
- 21080628
- Journal Information:
- Plasma Physics Reports, Vol. 32, Issue 3; Other Information: DOI: 10.1134/S1063780X0603007X; Copyright (c) 2006 Nauka/Interperiodica; Article Copyright (c) 2006 Pleiades Publishing, Inc; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1063-780X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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