Production of iodine atoms by dissociating CH3I and HI in a dc glow discharge in the flow of argon

Abstract

The production of iodine atoms by means of glow discharge in gas flow, with a view to using them in chemical oxygen–iodine lasers, was studied. A dc glow discharge was sustained between coaxial electrodes in the vortex flow of argon, used as the carrier gas, with the addition of iodine-containing molecular precursors CH3I and HI.In the experiments a high atomic iodine concentration of more than 1016 cm−3 was achieved at a pressure of the Ar carrier of up to 30 Torr. The dissociation degree of the precursor molecules was 80–100% for CH3I and 100% for HI.The loss of iodine atoms in volumetric processes and due to diffusion to the walls of the transporting duct from the discharge region to the active medium was estimated. For the existing designs of iodine injectors of oxygen–iodine lasers, the loss of iodine atoms during transportation can be reduced.