Utilization of an arc-heated jet for production of supersonic seeded beams of atomic nitrogen

Abstract

Intense supersonic beams of atomic nitrogen (≳1017 atoms sr−1 sec−1) have been produced from the dissociation of N2 in an Ar arc (at temperatures in excess of 6000 K) using the arc-heated nozzle beam source of Young, Rodgers, and Knuth. Experiments characterizing the N2 dissociation and the translational energies of the N, N2, and Ar components in the beams are described. Evidence is presented for the formation of atomic C as well as C2 and CH from the pyrolysis of CH4 and C2H4 in the Ar arc.