MAGNETIC ANALYSIS OF SUPERSONIC BEAMS OF ATOMIC OXYGEN, NITROGEN, ANDCHLORINE GENERATED FROM A RADIOFREQUENCY DISCHARGE

Supersonic beams of oxygen, nitrogen, and chlorine atoms and of metast able oxygen and nitrogen molecules produced from a high-pressure radio frequency discharge beam source have been characterized by coupling ve locity selection with magnetic analysis in the transmission mode. The present work leads to the determination of the relative populations of the electronic states of the species in the produced beams, showing t hat estimates of the populations from plasma temperatures or final tra nslational temperatures could bring on incorrect conclusions.