Glow discharge in singlet oxygen

Currently, there is no experimental data on the plasma balance in gas mixtures with a high content of singlet delta oxygen O-2((1)Delta(g)). These data can be obtained by studying the parameters of an electric discharge in singlet oxygen produced by a chemical generator. The O-2((1)Delta(g)) molecules significantly change the kinetics of electrons and negative ions in plasma. Hence, the discharge conditions at low and high O-2((1)Delta(g)) concentrations are very different. Here, the parameters of the positive column of a glow discharge in a gas flow from a chemical singlet-oxygen generator are studied. It is experimentally shown that, at an O-2((1)Delta(g)) concentration of 50% and at pressures of 1.5 and 2 torr, the electric field required to sustain the discharge is considerably lower than in the case when all of the oxygen molecules are in the ground state. A theoretical model of the glow discharge is proposed whose predictions are in good agreement with the experimental data. (C) 2003 MAIK "NaukalInterperiodica".