Barrier discharges in CO$_2$ -- optical emission spectra analysis and E/N determination from intensity ratio

TL;DR

This study analyzes optical emission spectra of barrier discharges in CO$_2$ to determine the electric field parameter E/N using intensity ratios, highlighting the method's potential and current limitations.

Contribution

The paper introduces a spectroscopic method to estimate E/N in CO$_2$ barrier discharges using intensity ratios, tested on atmospheric pressure discharges with high temporal resolution.

Findings

Identified multiple CO and CO$_2$ spectral bands in UV-VIS-NIR range.

Estimated E/N of 330 Td in barrier discharge streamer.

Highlighted uncertainties and sensitivity issues in the intensity ratio method.

Abstract

We study barrier discharges in CO$_2$ using optical emission spectroscopy and electrical measurements. We record the spectra of weak CO$_2$ barrier discharge emission in UV-VIS-NIR range. The CO spectral bands of 3rd positive, Angstrom and Asundi systems are identified in the spectra, together with the CO+2 bands of the UV-doublet and the Fox-Duffendack-Baker systems. The effect of CO$_2$ flow rate variations on the relative intensities of the CO and CO$_2$ optical emissions is also investigated. We analyze the optical emission of selected vibrational spectral bands and attempt to determine the E/N using intensity ratio method with kinetic data available in the literature. The method, using intensities from different spectral bands, is tested on sinusoidal driven atmospheric pressure Townsend (APTD) and single-filament barrier discharges at atmospheric pressure. For APTD at different flows and known CO conversion factors, an attempt is made to use the ratio of selected CO to CO$_2$ band intensities. The technique of time-correlated single photon counting is used to obtain necessary sub-nanosecond temporal resolution and, importantly, high signal sensitivity for the single-filament experiment and its utilization gives a promising result, E/N of 330 Td in barrier discharge streamer. Nevertheless, the uncertainties coming from different kinetic data and the low sensitivity of some rate coefficient ratios complicate an easy utilisation of the method. Future steps are therefore proposed, including uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analysis of the simplified model and necessary CO+2 and CO synthetic spectra fitting.