Measurement of collisional quenching rate of nitrogen states N2(C3Πu, υ = 0) and N2+(B2Σg+, υ = 0)

This paper presents an experimental investigation of the effect of the electric field strength on the collisional quenching rate of nitrogen states N-2(C (3) Pi(u), v = 0) and N-2(+)(B-2 Sigma(+)(g), v = 0) by nitrogen and oxygen molecules. In experiments, the pulses of non-self-sustained electrical discharge excite gas molecules. The range of reduced electric field strength is from 240 to 4000 Td at pressure range from 70 to 4300 Pa. The experiments show that the field strength has no effect on the quenching rate. The paper discusses the probable reasons for discrepancy of results obtained by different authors and proposes the preferable values for rate coefficients. These coefficients can be used for electric field determination in low temperature gas discharge plasmas via nitrogen emission spectrum, and are of interest to atmospheric air fluorescence investigations.