| Abstract: | The dissociation of molecular oxygen has been studied in a radiofrequency plasma at a pressure of 20 torr in a flow system. The results show that the main channel for dissociation is via electron excitation to the Herzberg and Schumann systems with negligible contribution of the channel involving the O2(a1Δg) metastable. While oxygen atom recombination can be followed outside the discharge region, kinetic data show that recombination within the discharge is effectively suppressed, probably as a consequence of a recombination assisted dissociation mechanism. This leads to high concentrations of O-atoms at the discharge exit. |
