Thermoluminescence Dynamics During Destructions of Porous Structures Formed by Nitrogen Nanoclusters in Bulk Superfluid Helium

• Published in: Journal of low temperature physics Vol. 185; no. 3-4; pp. 269 - 286
• Main Authors: Meraki, Adil, Mao, Shun, McColgan, Patrick T., Boltnev, Roman E., Lee, David M., Khmelenko, Vladimir V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.11.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Atomic structure; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Condensed Matter Physics; Destruction; Dynamic structural analysis; Dynamics; Emission; Fluids; Gas mixtures; Helium; Liquid helium; Low temperature physics; Magnetic Materials; Magnetism; Molecular structure; Nanoclusters; Nanostructure; Nitrogen; Nitrogen atoms; Oxygen atoms; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Solid nitrogen; Superfluidity; Thermoluminescence; Quantum solids; Nanoclusters; Thermoluminescence; Impurities and diffusion
• ISSN: 0022-2291; 1573-7357
• DOI: 10.1007/s10909-016-1557-1

We studied the dynamics of thermoluminescence during destruction of porous structures formed by nanoclusters of nitrogen molecules containing high concentrations of stabilized nitrogen atoms. The porous structures were formed in bulk superfluid helium by injection of the products of discharges in nitrogen–helium gas mixtures through the liquid helium surface. Fast recombination of nitrogen atoms during warming-up led to explosive destruction of the porous structures accompanied by bright flashes. Intense emissions from the α -group of nitrogen atoms, the β -group of oxygen atoms and the Vegard–Kaplan bands of N 2 molecules were observed at the beginning of destruction. At the end of destruction the M- and β -bands of NO molecules as well as bands of O 2 molecules were also observed. Observation of the emissions from NO molecules at the end of destruction was explained by processes of accumulation of NO molecules in the system due to the large van der Waals interaction of NO molecules. For the first time, we observed the emission of the O 2 molecules at the end of destruction of the porous nitrogen structures as a result of the (NO) 2 dimer formation in solid nitrogen and subsequent processes leading to the appearance of excited O 2 molecules.