Global Modeling of N2O Discharges: Rate Coefficients and Comparison with ICP and Glow Discharges Results

Abstract

We developed a Global Model for N2O plasmas valid for applications in various power, gas flow rate, and pressure regimes. Besides energy losses from electron collisions with N2O, it takes into consideration those due to molecular N2and O2and to atomic N and O species. Positive atomic N+and O+and molecular N2O+,N2+, andO2+have been treated as separate species and also negative O−ions. The latter confer an electronegative character to the discharge, calling for modified plasma sheath and plasma potential formulas. Electron density and temperature and all species densities have been evaluated, hence the ionization and dissociation percentages of N2O, N2, and O2molecules and the plasma electronegativity. The model is extended to deal with N2/O2mixtures feedings, notably with air. Rate coefficients and model results are discussed and compared with those from available theoretical and experimental work on ICP and glow discharge devices.