Accession Number:

AD0745211

Title:

Investigation of Energy Transfer Processes in Molecular Gas Discharges.

Descriptive Note:

Final rept. 1 Jan 70-30 Jun 72,

Corporate Author:

UNITED AIRCRAFT RESEARCH LABS EAST HARTFORD CONN

Personal Author(s):

• Wiegand,Walter J.
• Nighan,William L.
• Bullis,Robert H.

Report Date:

1972-06-30

Pagination or Media Count:

64.0

Abstract:

Collision processes leading to the formation of atomic nitrogen in N2-He and N2-CO2-He laser discharges have been identified as being of major importance in determining discharge characteristics. In order to identify the physical mechanisms leading to N2 dissociation, analytical techniques were used to determine electron energy distributions, from which rates of electron energy transfer associated with the various vibrational, electronic, ionization and dissociation processes were determined. Carefully controlled experimental measurements were made to determine N-atom fluxes as a function of discharge parameters. The measured dissociation rate and its dependence on electron density, N2 density, and time spent within the discharge suggested that both direct and multistep processes contributed to the N-atom production. These results, when coupled with the analytically determined energy transfer rates, indicate that only direct processes are important sources of N-atom production for conditions typical of CO2 laser discharges. Author

Descriptors:

• *GAS LASERS
• GAS DISCHARGES
• REACTION KINETICS
• DISSOCIATION
• IONIZATION
• ELECTRON DENSITY
• PLASMAS(PHYSICS)
• MOLECULAR ENERGY LEVELS
• ELECTRON TRANSITIONS
• NITROGEN
• CESIUM
• TRANSPORT PROPERTIES

Subject Categories:

• Lasers and Masers

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE