Production of C2* radicals in a transverse volume discharge

Conditions for producing stable transverse volume discharges in freon-containing media (CCl4/air mixtures at a pressure of P = 0.1-2 kPa) are studied. It is shown that a transverse discharge produced in the CCl4/air = (1-2)/0.03 kPa mixture at a moderate discharge voltage (U-ch = 8-15 kV) and an interelectrode distance of d = 2.2 cm is a selective source of C-2(d(3)Pi (g)-a(3)Pi (u)) 468.0- and 516.5-nm radiation and C(2p-3s) 247.9-nm radiation. The brightness of the C-2(d-a) band is comparable with that of the N-2(C-B) 337.1- and 357-nm bands. The transverse discharge in CCl4 is of interest for generating pulsed emission via the d-a transition of C-2 molecules in the blue-green region of the visible spectrum. (C) 2000 MAIK "Nauka/Interperiodica".