The Mechanisms of Formation and Decay of Atoms in N2-H2 Plasmas

The formation rate and number densities of H(²S) and N(⁴S) atoms, rate constants of their heterogeneous decay, and some electrophysical characteristics of plasma were measured in the positive column of a dc discharge in an H₂–N₂ gas mixture at a pressure of 266 Pa and a discharge current of 50 mA. From these data, by the combined solution of the Boltzmann equation, vibrational kinetics equations for ₂(X¹_g) and N₂(X¹_g), chemical kinetics equations, and plasma energy and heat balance equations, it was found that vibrationally excited nitrogen molecules must play a substantial role in the formation of both hydrogen and nitrogen atoms.