Molecular emissions in sonoluminescence spectra of water sonicated under Ar-based gas mixtures

Sonoluminescence (SL) spectroscopy is one of the very few ways to study the plasma formed in solutions submitted to ultrasound. Unfortunately, up to now only very limited emission bands were reported in SL spectra of aqueous solutions, moreover broad and badly resolved. It is shown here that by adding some N₂ and/or CO₂ in Ar, new molecular emissions (CN, N₂ and CO) can be observed and that for some of them rovibronic temperatures can be derived. The paramount importance of Stark broadening in these emissions is underlined, together with the need for data on Stark parameters for molecular emissions. (authors)