O2 rotational temperature measurements in an atmospheric air microdischarge by radar resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization

Abstract

Nonintrusive spatially resolved rotational temperature measurements in an atmospheric air microdischarge are presented. The measurements were based on coherent microwave Rayleigh scattering (Radar) from resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization of molecular oxygen. The open air DC microdischarge source operated in a stable "normal-glow" mode and pin-to-pin electrodes spaced 1.3 mm apart. The second harmonic of a tunable dye laser beam was focused between the two electrodes and scanned between 286 and 288 nm. Coherent microwave Rayleigh scattering was used to collect the two-photon rotational spectra of O2 at C3Π(v = 2)←X 3Σ(v′ = 0) transitions. The Boltzmann plots from analyses of the O2 rotational lines determined local rotational temperatures at various axial locations between the electrodes. The molecular oxygen rotational temperature varied from ∼1150 K to ∼1350 K within the discharge area. The measurements had an accuracy of ∼±50 K. © 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.