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The objective of the investigation described in this report is the development of technology required for demonstration of laser action in hydrogen halides pumped by vibrational energy transfer from hydrogen or deuterium excited in a low-pressure self-sustained electric discharge. A combined theoretical and experimental investigation of such a device relying upon near-resonant V-V transfer in the D2-HCl pair has been undertaken. The theoretical analysis has treated the electric discharge excitation process, using a Boltzmann analysis of known and reliable electron excitation cross section data for processes occuring within the deuterium discharge. Mixing and vibrational energy transfer and relaxation between vibrationally excited D2 and HCl have been treated in a comprehensive one-dimensional kinetic model of an interacting gas dynamic flow of multi-vibrational level species. Experimental investigations have demonstrated direct evidence for effective vibrational energy transfer in the D2-HCl system. Vibrational temperatures in excess of 2000K have been measured in HCl pumped by V-V transfer from discharged D2 from an analysis of spontaneous infrared emission from the active medium.

The feasibility of producing stimulated emission in the 3 to 5 micron wavelength band by direct electron impact excitation of hydrogen chloride vibrational levels is being investigated theoretically and experimentally. Theoretical prediction of electrically pulsed HC1 laser performance indicate that gain coefficient in excess of 1%/sq cm should be realizable in the present experiments. Electric discharges with electron number densities up to 1.6 x 10 to the 12th power/cc have been sustained with a sq cm thermionic cathode electron gun. (Author)

Nitrogen-fluorine compounds have a high energy content, which makes them of interest in the propellant field. An electric arc technique, which has been used in the synthesis of other high-energy compounds, has now been applied to the nitrogen-fluorine system. A nitrogen plasma jet was intermixed with gaseous fluorides (CF4 or SF6) and subsequently quenched. Small yields of NF3, N2F4, and CF3NF2 were produced, together with trace quantities of other products. The observed products were accounted for by a reaction sequence involving the formation of FCN and its subsequent stepwise fluorination by addition at the triple bond. FCN is only an intermediate, however, and had not been found in the product stream. The yield of fixed-nitrogen products is about 1% of inlet nitrogen for typical conditions, and it increases with increasing power input and increasing F/N ratio in the plasma. (Author)