Influence of the percentage of argon in the Ar -N2 gas mixture on the relative number of Ar+, N2+, N and N+ particles in the plasma of a non-self-sustaining low-pressure glow discharge with a hollow cathode

The paper presents the results of studies of argon-nitrogen plasma of a non-self-sustaining low-pressure glow discharge with a hollow cathode by optical emission spectrometry. The plasma was generated in a mixture of Ar-N2 gases with an argon percentage from 0 to 100% at a total pressure of 1 Pa. The discharge current and voltage were maintained constant and amounted to 18 A and 165 V, respectively. A significant increase in the amount of Ar+ (up to 30%) at a nitrogen content of 10-25% was shown, which is associated with a shift in the reaction of nitrogen recharging with argon towards the generation of argon ions. It was found that at a low partial pressure of nitrogen (≈ 10%), a sharp increase in the content of atomic nitrogen is observed, which is probably due to the dissociation of nitrogen molecules upon collisions with an excited argon atom.