Eur. Phys. J. D 46, 493-498 (2008)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2008-00006-6

Electrical and optical characterization of pulsed plasma of N₂–H₂

¹ Centro de Ciencias Físicas, UNAM, Apdo. Postal 48-3, 62210, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
² Facultad de Ciencias, UAEM, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico

Corresponding author: ^a fbyousif@servm.fc.uaem.mx

Received: 27 September 2007
Revised: 28 November 2007
Published online: 11 January 2008

Abstract

This paper considers the electrical and optical characterization of glow discharge pulsed plasma in N₂/H₂ gas mixtures at a pressures range between 0.5 and 4.0 Torr and discharge current between 0.2 and 0.6 A. Electron temperature and ion density measurements were performed employing a double Langmuir probe. They were found to increase rapidly as the H₂ percentage in the mixture was increased up to 20%. This increase slows down as the H₂ percentage in the gas mixture was increased above 20% at the same pressure. Emission spectroscopy was employed to observe emission from the pulsed plasma of a steady-state electric discharge. The discharge mainly emits within the range 280–500 nm. The emission consists of N₂ (C-X) 316, 336, 358 nm narrow peaks and a broad band with a maximum at λ_max = 427 nm. Also lines of N₂, N₂⁺ and NH excited states were observed. All lines and bands have their maximum intensity at the discharge current of 0.417 A. The intensities of the main bands and spectral lines are determined as functions of the total pressure and discharge current. Agreement with other theoretical and experimental groups was established.