Singlet oxygen kinetics in a double microwave discharge

Abstract

Chemical lasers offer the highest powers necessary for many weapons applications, but require significant logistical support in the delivery of specialized fuels to the battlefield. In the Chemical Oxygen-Iodine Laser (COIL), which is the weapon aboard the Airborne Laser (ABL), gaseous chlorine and liquid basic hydrogen peroxide are used to generate the singlet oxygen energy reservoir. The goal of the current multi-university research program is to demonstrate an oxygeniodine laser with electrical discharge production of singlet oxygen. Typically, oxygen discharges are limited to about 15% yield for singlet oxygen. The electron excitation cross-sections as a function of E/N are well established. However, the kinetics for electron and singlet oxygen interactions is considerably more difficult to study. Optical diagnostics for O 2 (a, b), and O, have been applied to a double microwave discharge flow tube. By examining the difference in singlet oxygen kinetics between the two discharges in series, considerable information regarding the excited-state, excited-state interactions is obtained. Under certain discharge conditions, the O 2 (a) concentration significantly increases outside of the discharge, even after thermal effects are accounted.

Physics and engineering of singlet delta oxygen production in low-temperature plasma

“…Kinetics of SDO was also studied in [180], where MW discharge with input power up to 120 W was applied to the products of another one, by analysing the effects of electric discharge on the SDO behaviour. Gas pressure was ∼4 Torr.…”