Influence of Mercury Traces on Pure Nitrogen Post-Discharge at Decreased Wall Temperature

conference paper

English

The work presents results obtained during spectroscopic observations of DC flowing post-discharges of pure nitrogen plasma and nitrogen plasma containing very low mercury traces of about 3.1 ppb. The discharge tube around the observation point (+- 3 cm) was immersed in liquid nitrogen. Three nitrogen spectral systems and NO-beta bands were identified, but no mercury lines were observed in the involved spectral region. The total gas pressure was 700 Pa and the discharge current was kept at 150 mA. The relative populations of N_2 (B ^3 Pi_g), N_2 (C ^3 Pi_u) and N_2^+ (B ^2 Sigma_u^+) states were calculated in the dependence on the post-discharge time. As the uncontrolled oxygen traces were recorded in the mercury flow, the experiment with a nitrogen-oxygen mixture at the same discharge conditions was studied, too. The results showed strong quenching of the nitrogen pink afterglow by mercury traces. The kinetic explanation can be done through a strong depopulation of the level N_2 (X ^1 Sigma_g^+, v = 19) (creating the mercury ^3 P_1 state) and of the levels N_2 (X ^1 Sigma_g^+, v = 28) or N_2 (A ^3 Sigma_u^+, v = 4) (creating the mercury ^1 S_0 state). Both mercury states are origins of the UV light emission (254 and 185 nm, resp.) that could not be detected in our contemporary experimental setup.

nitrogen post-discharge, pink afterglow, post-discharge kinetics, optical spectroscopy, mercury traces

KRČMA, F.; STARÁ, Z.; HRDLIČKA, A.; KANICKÝ, V.; OTRUBA, V.; KRÁSENSKÝ, P.

2007

26. 8. 2007

Kjoto

978-4-9903773-3-5

Proceedings of ISPC XVIII

30-P14

4