Explanation of memory curve for nitrogen by surface-catalysed excitation

Abstract

A theory and numerical model are proposed that explain the dependence of time delay on afterglow period, td=f( tau ) (the memory curve), for the Cu-N2 system by surface-catalysed excitation at nitrogen atom recombination on the cathode. The kinetics in the late nitrogen afterglow are determined by nitrogen atom recombination. It is shown that the nitrogen atom recombination on the container walls (glass) is of second order in N (the recombination on copper is of first order). The probability of the metastable formation of N2(A3 Sigma u+) by recombination at the electrode surface is determined. The electron yield in the interelectrode space caused by metastable secondary emission (the Auger de-excitation process) determines the time delay. On the basis of this mechanism, the time-delay method is very efficient in detecting nitrogen atoms.