MEASUREMENT OF THE DENSITY OF OH FREE-RADICALS IN MAGNETIZED SHEET PLASMA CROSSED WITH VERTICAL GAS-FLOW

We demonstrated the production of hydroxyl (OH) free radicals in an ar gon plasma, called the magnetized sheet plasma, crossed with vertical gas flow of O-2-H-2 gas mixture. Number density of OH free radicals n( OH) and plasma parameters were measured by laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) and Langmuir probe, respectively. n(OH) depends on the electron temperature in the sheet plasma. Above the maximum value of n(OH), the high-energy part of the electron energy distribution function f(e)(E) above similar to 8eV decreases. These results suggest that the high-e nergy part of f(e)(E) contributes to the dissociation of O-2, producin g OH free radicals.