Cation-like Doppler shifts from a neutral molecule in an electrical discharge
Chemical Physics
2016-08-16 v1 Optics
Abstract
Velocity-modulation Fourier transform emission spectra from a N_2O/He discharge plasma recorded between 1 and 5.5 m are described. Surprisingly, they show Doppler-shifted lines for the E ^2 \Sigma ^+ - D ^2 \Sigma ^+, C ^2 \Pi - A ^2 \Sigma ^+, and D ^2 \Sigma ^+ - A ^2 \Sigma ^+ Rydberg-Rydberg rovibronic transitions of the nitric oxide neutral molecule. These polarity-dependent Doppler-shifts are those of positively charged particles. Vibration-rotation lines of NO and transitions from other neutral molecules like N_2 are also present in the spectra with comparable intensities and remain unshifted. Experimental investigations and possible explanations are discussed.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.physics/0611298,
title = {Cation-like Doppler shifts from a neutral molecule in an electrical discharge},
author = {Hervé Herbin and Robert Farrenq and Guy Guelachvili and Nathalie Picqué},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:physics/0611298},
year = {2016}
}