Diagnostics and modeling of RF discharge dissociation in N2 O

Measurements were made of the RF discharge dissociation of N₂ O in a parallel-plate reactor by downstream mass spectrometry using a wide range of gas flows and powers at 10 kHz and 13.56 MHz. The results show that the mass 44 signal (N₂O⁺), which is a measure of the amount of undissociated N₂O, is a function of the discharge input energy per N₂O molecule (eV/N ₂O). A plug flow, rate equation model of the discharge was used to predict the experimental dissociation rates. A DC Monte Carlo simulation was used to calculate rate coefficients for electron-impact neutral dissociation, ionization, and dissociative ionization. The rate equation model also includes reactions among the dissociation products of N₂O and species which are synthesized in the discharge, as well as neural and electron-ion recombination at the electrodes. The model predictions identify the major reaction pathways and the sensitivities of the results to the rate coefficient values used