Abstract
Optical emission spectra in the wavelength range of molecular hydrogen were observed in both ionizing and recombining plasma modes of hydrogen discharges. The optical emission spectrum from the ionizing plasma was dominated by the Fulcher-α system (a3Σg+ - d3Πu-) of molecular hydrogen. On the other hand, the optical emission spectrum from the recombining plasma was composed of many lines, and was completely different from the spectrum of the ionizing plasma. The many peaks observed from the recombining plasma were assigned to the X2Π - A2Σ+ transition of OH. The OH(A2Σ+) is thought to originate from the chemical etching of a glass discharge tube by atomic hydrogen. This is analogous to the interaction between a detached divertor plasma and a graphite plate, and a possible process for the enhancement of OH(A2Σ+) density in a recombining plasma is discussed with this analogy in mind.
