Abstract:
Ion cyclotron resonance stimulated glow-discharge devices are disclosed. In these devices an ensemble of gaseous material comprising at least two different gaseous constituents is ionized to produce ions of at least one of the gaseous constituents. A radio-frequency field at the cyclotron resonance frequency of the ionized gaseous constituent is applied to the gas for exciting cyclotron resonance of the ionized constituent in a magnetic field. The cyclotron resonant ion absorbs energy from the applied radio-frequency field substantially increasing its translational velocity. The cyclotron resonant ion is chemically interacted as by an exchange collision with the second gaseous constituent of the gas sample to produce a gaseous product having an excited electronic energy state. The excited electronic energy state decays by the emission of photons of optical radiation which are extracted from the ensemble of gas for use.