Magnetic Study of the Frozen Products from the Nitrogen Microwave Discharge

Magnetic susceptibility measurements have been made during the condensation at low temperatures of the mixture of atomic and molecular nitrogen produced in a microwave discharge. From the nitrogen atom concentration in the gas reaching the condensing surface and the magnetic measurements on the deposited solid, it is concluded that a concentration of a few tenths of a mole percent N cannot be exceeded in the solid phase. Such concentrations are observed only for relatively brief intervals after which catastrophic recombination occurs. Stable, long-lived concentrations, which account for the previously reported thermal and light emission effects that accompany warmup of such deposits, are estimated to be less than a few hundredths of a mole percent N. Susceptibility measurements are based on calibration with solid molecular oxygen, and the calculation of N atom concentrations assumes that the susceptibility of dilute N atoms in an N2 matrix approximates that of the free gas.