Spectral composition of the light from plasmas created by electron beams in nitrogen and He-N₂ and Ne-N₂ mixtures

Plasmas created by electron beams in N₂ and He-N₂ and Ne-N₂ mixtures at high pressures are studied experimentally. It is shown that N₂ ⁺ ions in the B² ∑_u ⁺ state are produced during charge exchange of Ne₂ ⁺ ions with N₂ molecules. A comparison of the intensity of light from the B²∑_u ⁺ → X²∑_g ⁺ transition of the N₂ ⁺ ion in He-N₂ and Ne-N₂ mixtures shows that under these experimental conditions charge exchange of Net ions with N₂ is less effective than the analogous process involving He₂ ⁺ ions. It is found that in an Ne-N₂ mixture the intensity of emission on transitions of the 2^t system of nitrogen is greater than in N₂.