Absolute radiolytic yields of N2(C3Πsub(u)) in N2/rare gas mixtures

The absolute radiolytic luminescence yield for the emission from the C3Πsub(u) state of N2 has been determined for pulsed electron beam irradiation of He/N2 and Ne/N2 mixtures. The yields - corrected for all quenching processes-are compared to those calculated, by Monte-Carlo methods, from a model based on sub-excitation electron processes. The results confirm that this model and the Platzman initial sub-excitation electron distribution function are fully compatible with the observed results. The yields from experiment and theory are G(N2, C3Πsub(u)) = 0.079 ± 0.010 and 0.10 ± 0.01, respectively in He/N2; 0.116 ± 0.037 and 0.094 ± 0.007 in Ne/N2 mixtures. The G-values for absolute photon yields may be calculated from this data using appropriate kinetic quenching rate constants. (author)