In-situ diagnostic measurements and reactor modeling have been used to stud
y N2O dissociation by r.f. discharges. Measurements have been conducted at
1 Torr (i.e. 133.3 Pa) and at a r.f. power density from 4.5 to 22.7 mW/cm(2
). We developed a complete reactor modeling involving an electrical dischar
ge model coupled to a mass transfer model. Only an electrical discharge mod
el accounting for the negative ion conversion from O- to NO- allowed a good
coherence between measured and predicted power densities. The electron-N2O
dissociation rates, obtained from the electrical model, are then used in t
he mass transfer model, including eight species [N2O, N-2, O-2, NO, NO2, N,
O(P-3) and O(D-1)]. The corresponding results are in good agreement with t
he experimental results concerning the N-2 and O-2 productions and the N2O
consumption. These results have particularly shown that N-2 and O-2 are the
most abundant products (>10(14) molecules/cm(3)). (C) 1999 Elsevier Scienc
e S.A. All rights reserved.