Evolution and axial distribution of Ar clusters in supersonic jets

Abstract

For Ar clusters produced by specifical jet, the Rayleigh scattering was employed to investigate the cluster formation process and to measure the cluster size along nozzle axis under different background gas pressures. The developing process of cluster and the axial distribution of cluster size were observed at pressures from 20 to 60 atm experimentally. The relationship between the cluster size and the pressure and axial distance from the jet nozzle was obtained. It was found that the largest clusters were formed at distance 5 mm from the nozzle.