Diagnostics and modeling of RF discharge dissociation in N2 O

Summary form only given. The RF discharge dissociation in N₂ O in a parallel-plate reactor was measured by downstream mass spectrometry. A wide range of gas flows and powers at 10 kHz and 13.56 MHz was used. It was found 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). The amount of dissociation increases as eV/N₂O increases. The primary downstream products are N₂ , O₂, and NO. A plug flow, rate equation model of the discharge was used to predict the experimental dissociation rates. Rate coefficients for electron impact neutral dissociation, ionization, and dissociative ionization were obtained from a DC, Monte Carlo simulation assuming the time and space averaged value of E/n in the discharge. The rate equation model also includes reactions among the dissociation products of N₂O and species which are synthesized in the discharge and electron-ion neutralization at the electrodes. The predicted values of the downstream product densities vs. eV/N₂O agree with the experimental results