Determination of N and O - Atom and N2(A) Metastable Molecule Densities in the Afterglows of N2 and N2-O2 Microwave Discharges

Early afterglows of N-2 and N-2-O-2 flowing microwave discharges are characterized by optical emission spectroscopy. The N and O atom and N-2(A) metastable molecule densities are determined by optical emission spectroscopy after calibration by NO titration for N-atoms and measurements of NO and N-2 band intensities for O-atoms and N-2(A) metastable molecules. By using N-2 tanks with 50 and 10 ppm impurity, it is determined in the afterglow an O- atom impurity of 150-200 ppm. Variations of the N and O-atom and N-2(A) metastable molecule densities are obtained in the early afterglow of N-2-(910(-5)-310(-3))O-2 gas mixtures. ((c) 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)