Supersonic nozzle beam source of atomic oxygen produced by electric discharge heating

摘要

An atmospheric pressure supersonic nozzle beam source of atomic oxygen is described. Dissociation of molecular oxygen is accomplished by injection into a flow of helium and/or argon which has been heated in a commercial plasma torch. Dissociation efficiencies approaching unity are achieved with beam velocities in the range of 1.5–4.0 km s-1. Production of rare gas metastable and electronically excited oxygen species are minimized by the source design.