Optogalvanic studies in CO₂ discharges at low pressures

Abstract

The optogalvanic effect in Lou pressure CO₂ -N₂ -He discharges has been studied at different CO laser wavelengths. It was shown, that unlike earlier studies done at higher pressures, a saturation of the optogalvanic signal was observed as pressure was increased from fraction of a torr to values greater than one torr. It was shown that at tow pressure, the temperature perturbation effect alone can not explain the optogalvanic effect. The increased rate of electron-ion and ion-ion recombination processes competed with the temperature effect and this Led to a saturation of the optogalvanic signal.