Electron energy distribution functions and vibrational population densities of excited electronic states in DC discharges through nitrogen

Abstract

An augmented collisional-radiative model which includes the vibrational kinetics of excited electronic states of nitrogen is presented.The Boltzmann transport equation which includes vibrational and electronic superelastic collisions is solved, coupled to a system of vibrational master equations with eight excited electronic states.The model explains satisfactorily the trends of vibrational distributions of several excited electronic states observed under non-equilibrium conditions.The results also show that energy pooling reactions can play an important role in determining the vibrational distributions of A3Z:, B3J3,, and C3n, states.