Mechanisms of the recombination of oxygen and nitrogen atoms on quartz

A heterogeneous recombination of nitrogen and oxygen atoms is considered. The installation and the method to determine the probability of heterogeneous recombination of oxygen and nitrogen atoms by resonance fluorescence spectroscopy under strictly controlled conditions are described. The variation of the recombination probability of nitrogen and oxygen atoms on the quartz surface is studied in the temperature range of $297$–$1000$ K and pressures of $0.01$–$10$ mbar. The regions of pressure and temperature in which recombination occurs predominantly according to the Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism or the Eley–Rideal mechanism are distinguished. Data on the recombination activation energy are presented. The recombination of nitrogen and oxygen atoms occurs mainly at various active centers.