Lyman Alpha Lamps and Reaction of Deuterium Atoms in the 2P State with Molecular Nitrogen

Characteristics of hydrogen- and deuterium-Lyman alpha, emitted from their respective electrodic discharge lamps, were investigated, and the optimum conditions were determined for the production of resonance lines of sufficient intensity and sharpness for producing H(2P) or D(2P) atoms by irradiation of the ground-state atoms. Reactions between H(2P) or D(2P) atoms and molecular nitrogen were also studied by irradiating the mixtures H+N2 or D+N2 with H Lyman alpha or D Lyman alpha, and the following results were obtained: H+N2+H Lyman alpha→NH3,H+N2+D Lyman alpha→no product,D+N2+H Lyman alpha→no product,D+N2+D Lyman alpha→ND3.Moreover, the relation between the amount of the product and the rate of 2P atom formation was examined, and it was found that the former is strongly affected by the latter.