POSSIBLE REACTION OF ATOMIC NITROGEN WITH SF(X) (X=1-5) AND CF(X) (X=1-3) FRAGMENTS FROM N2-SF6 AND N2-CF4 DISCHARGES

Possible reactions of atomic nitrogen with SF(x)(x= 1-5) and CF(x) (x= 1-3) fragments resulting from discharges in N2 and SF6 or CF4 have be en investigated using the flowing afterglow technique. It is shown tha t only in N2-SF6 discharges neutral NF is formed, by recording its flu orescence from the b 1SIGMA+ state of NF, presumably arising from the excitation transfer from N2(A 3SIGMA(u)+) to NF. It is argued that the reaction product NF results, in all likelihood, from fluorine abstrac tion by atomic nitrogen from SF5.