What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to understand how impurities affect rovibrational excitation in low-temperature plasma.

February 27, 2026Open Access

Fundamental Rovibrational Excitation in Co2 Low-Temperature Plasma in the Presence of Common Impurities

Key Points

The aim is to understand how impurities affect rovibrational excitation in low-temperature plasma.
Used infra-red absorption spectroscopy for in situ measurement of rovibrational temperatures.
Analyzed temperature trends and energy transfer during collisions in plasma.
Examined the effects of impurities on discharge onset and energy dynamics.
Impurities delay discharge onset due to their electronegativity, affecting electron avalanche formation.
Rovibrational temperature trends exhibit similar behaviors for symmetric and asymmetric vibrations.
Results assist in refining and benchmarking existing kinetic models.

Abstract

The interactions in plasma (Formula presented.) recycling are simplified by limiting the excitation of (Formula presented.) mixtures with (Formula presented.) or (Formula presented.) to rovibrations in a low-temperature glow discharge. In situ infra-red absorption spectroscopy measures rovibrational temperature trends, analysed for collisional energy transfer. With (Formula presented.), symmetric vibrations of (Formula presented.) show temperature behaviour similar to the asymmetric stretching due to the change in dominance from excitation to relaxation. Adding (Formula presented.) delays discharge onset, likely because the electronegativity of (Formula presented.) hinders electron avalanche formation. Both datasets aid in benchmarking kinetic models.

Fundamental Rovibrational Excitation in Co2 Low-Temperature Plasma in the Presence of Common Impurities

Key Points

Abstract

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