Quenching rates of N2(C,v′) vibrational states in N2 and He glow silent discharges

The quenching rates of N2(C,v′) by N2 and He, kC,v′N2 and kHeC,v′, have been determined for O<v′⩽3 in glow silent discharges at atmospheric pressure. First, the characteristic vibrational temperature of the N2(X,v) ground state which is close to room temperature in the present low power (∼1 W) glow silent discharge has been calculated. Then, starting with the published quenching rates of N2(C,0), kC,0N2=10−11 cm3 s−1 and kHeC,0=10−12 cm3 s−1, the following values have been calculated: kC,1N2=3.3(±0.4)×10−11 cm3 s−1, kC,2N2=6.3(±0.8)×10−11 cm3 s−1, kC,3N2=8(±2)×10−11 cm3 s−1, kHeC,1≅kHeC,2=2(±0.3)×10−12 cm3 s−1. Such data are useful in order to determine the N2 vibrational distribution in high-power discharges at atmospheric pressure.