Articolo in rivista, 2013, ENG, 10.1063/1.4794690

Electron-vibration energy exchange models in nitrogen-containing plasma flows

V.. Laporta, D. Bruno

Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom Istituto di Metodologie Inorganiche e dei Plasmi, CNR, 70125 Bari, Italy

The physics of vibrational kinetics in nitrogen-containing plasma produced by collisions with elec- trons is studied on the basis of recently derived cross sections and rate coefficients for the reso- nant vibrational-excitation by electron-impact. The temporal relaxation of the vibrational energy and of the vibrational distribution function is analyzed in a state-to-state approach. The electron and vibrational temperatures are varied in the range [0-50000] K. Conclusions are drawn with respect to the derivation of reduced models and to the accuracy of a relaxation time formalism. An analytical fit of the vibrational relaxation time is given.

The Journal of chemical physics 138

Keywords

Relaxation, Excitation, Impact, N2

CNR authors

Bruno Domenico, Laporta Vincenzo

CNR institutes

NANOTEC – Istituto di Nanotecnologia