Discharge Production of S(1S) and the Effect of He as a Buffer Gas in Its Quenching Rate

Abstract

It was demonstrated that the 1S state of sulfer atoms could be produced by discharge dissociation of OCS; the 1S state atoms were identified by observing the 772.5 nm auroral line fluorescence emitted from the afterglow of short pusle discharge of He gas containing 0.1% to 1.2% of OCS. The yield increased linearly with E/p up to 300 V cm-1 Torr-1. The fluorescence showed a single exponential decay. The decay rate constant was measured as a function of the buffer gas pressure and no evidence of quencher formation during the discharge was found.