Microwave afterglow in an argon--hydrogen mixture
The mechanism responsible for increasing the plasma decay rate when hydrogen is added to argon is investigated. Microwave and optical methods and a mass spectrometer are used. The attenuation introduced by the microwave plasma is measured at various times following the microwave pulse and the critical microwave field strength is determined, both as functions of the partial H/sub 2/ pressure. The intensity of various argon and hydrogen lines in the 40O-900 nm region are measured at the same pressures as in the microwave measurements. A mass spectrometer is used to analyze the dc pulsed discharge. It is shown that plasma decay in argon involves recombination, the rate being affected by recembination of Ar/sub 2//sup +/ ions, and that the number of metastables is relatively large after the pulse terminates. The acceleration of the decay when hydrogen is added to the argon can be explained qualitatively by the resultant formation of ion-molecular reactions of ArH/sup +/ and H/sub 3//sup +/ ions that give rise to a greater recombination fa ctor than in pure Ar Moreover, hydrogen, a light gas, facilitates rapid cooling of the electron gas in the afterglow and also reduces the number of metastables. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Leningrad Collective for Electronic Instrument Manufacture
- NSA Number:
- NSA-29-006665
- OSTI ID:
- 4376190
- Journal Information:
- Sov. Phys.-Tech. Phys. (Engl. Transl.), v. 17, no. 12, pp. 1933-1937, Journal Name: Sov. Phys.-Tech. Phys. (Engl. Transl.), v. 17, no. 12, pp. 1933-1937; ISSN SPTPA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Recombination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon photoions with electrons in a flowing afterglow plasma
Recombination rates and excited state formation and collisional destruction in plasma-afterglows