Chemical Applications of Metastable Argon Atoms. III. Production of Krypton and Xenon Metastable Atoms

Abstract

An inexpensive experimental technique has been developed for the production of argon, krypton, and xenon metastable atoms using a discharge-flow system. The reactions of these metastable atoms with N2, CO, and N2O were investigated in the pressure range 0.3–10 torr, and the emission spectra resulting from the reactions were identified. These spectra gave information about the collision event and also about some of the relaxation processes. Franck–Condon factors apparently do not control the molecular excitation processes in collisions of excited heavy atoms with light diatomic molecules. This discharge flow source of metastable atoms provides emission spectra of sufficient intensity from added CO and N2O for study of emission bands which currently are not well understood. Molecular emission from N2O has been observed, apparently for the first time.