N₂ vibrational kinetics in near atmospheric pressure nanosecond-pulsed plasma jet: simulations validated against measurements

In this contribution, near atmospheric pressure nanosecond-pulsed plasma jets are investigated by a zero-dimensional volume-averaged model. The model calculations of N₂(v<58) plasma are validated against the measured vibrational level densities (v<5). The Vibrational-Vibrational (V-V) and Vibrational-Translational (V-T) rate coefficients are determined from diverse theoretical approaches, i.e. the V-V kinetics from the simple form of an harmonic oscillator (sfHO), the Schwartz–Slawsky–Herzfeld (SSH) and the Forced Harmonic Oscillator (FHO). The V-T rate coefficients are determined via the sfHO and the fit functions of the quasi-classical trajectory and semi-classical calculations. The influences of these different approaches on the simulated time-dependent vibrational distribution functions are presented. A limited influence on the low vibrational level densities (v<5) is observed, whereas larger differences are shown in the concentrations of higher levels by using the aforementioned different approaches. The sensitivity of the vibrational distribution function to the neutral wall reaction probabilities is revealed, e.g. the wall quenching of the vibrationally excited nitrogen molecules plays a role in the intermediate and high level densities.