Emission from atomic nitrogen produced by electron impact on nitrogen molecules

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · J. Chem. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.453702· OSTI ID:6465194

Rall, D L.A.; Filippelli, A R; Sharpton, F A; Chung, S; Lin, C C; Murphy, R E

Absolute optical emission cross sections have been measured for transitions of the N atom in the wavelength range 3800--7000 A originating from 51 terms of the N (2p/sup 2/nl) configurations with n from 4 to 9 produced by electron-impact dissociation of the N/sub 2/ molecule. The incident electron energy ranges from threshold to 450 eV. The excitation functions show a broad maximum at about 85 eV and a shoulder structure near 35 eV. Near the threshold energy the formation of the excited nitrogen atoms is believed to be largely due to dissociative excitation through the repulsive part of Rydberg states of N/sub 2/ that converge to the N/sup +//sub 2/(D /sup 2/Pi/sub g/) ion. An abrupt increase in the slope of the excitation functions at 5 eV above threshold is suggestive of the opening up of higher-energy channels of dissociative excitation. Combining the measured optical emission cross sections with theoretical transition probabilities calculated by a Hartree--Fock procedure with configuration interaction, optical cross sections have been obtained for a number of long-wave infrared emission lines of the N atom excited by electron-impact dissociation of the N/sub 2/ molecule.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
• OSTI ID: 6465194
• Journal Information: J. Chem. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Chem. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 87:5; ISSN JCPSA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640304* -- Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics-- Collision Phenomena
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ATOMS
COLLISIONS
CROSS SECTIONS
DISSOCIATION
ELECTRON COLLISIONS
ELECTRON-MOLECULE COLLISIONS
ELEMENTS
EMISSION SPECTRA
ENERGY RANGE
EV RANGE
EV RANGE 01-10
EV RANGE 10-100
EV RANGE 100-1000
EXCITATION FUNCTIONS
FUNCTIONS
MOLECULE COLLISIONS
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
SPECTRA