The N2(A3Σu+) energy transfer toOH(A2Σ+) in low-pressure pulsed RF discharges

Abstract

In this paper we demonstrate that the excitation ofOH(A2Σ+) in a pulsed N2-H2O RF discharge is produced mainly by thereaction N2(A3Σu+,v) + OH(X2Σ+) →N2(X1Σ+) + OH(A2Σ+,v'). We thenobtain in the post-discharge the quasi-nascent rotational distribution ofOH(A2Σ+,v = 0) produced by such an energy transfer reaction, showingthe probable presence of three main de-excitation paths for N2(A) in theprocess. Finally, we propose to use the knowledge gained in this study todesign a N2-H2O pulsed RF discharge as a calibrated source of OH.