Characterization of a DC glow discharge in N₂–H₂ with electrical measurements and neutral and ion mass spectrometry

Abstract The addition of small amounts of H 2 were investigated in a DC glow discharge in N 2 , at low pressure (∼1 mbar) and low power (0.05–0.2 W cm −3 ). We quantified the electric field, the electron density, the ammonia production and the formation of positive ions for amounts of H 2 varying between 0 and 5%, pressure values between 0.5 and 4 mbar, and currents between 10 and 40 mA. The addition of less than 1% H 2 has a strong effect on the N 2 plasma discharges. Hydrogen quenches the (higher) vibrational levels of N 2 and some of its highly energetic metastable states. This leads to the increase of the discharge electric field and consequently of the average electron energy. As a result, higher quantities of radical and excited species are suspected to be produced. The addition of hydrogen also leads to the formation of new species. In particular, ammonia and hydrogen-bearing ions have been observed: N 2 H + and NH 4 + being the major ones, and also H 3 + , NH + , NH 2 + , NH 3 + , N 3 H + and N 3 H 3 + . The comparison to a radiofrequency capacitively coupled plasma discharge in similar experimental conditions shows that both discharges led to similar observations. The study of N 2 –H 2 discharges in the laboratory in the adequate ionization conditions then gives some insights on which plasma species made of nitrogen and hydrogen could be present in the ionosphere of Titan. Here, we identified some protonated ions, which are reactive species that could participate to the erosion of organic aerosols on Titan.