This work examines the rotational–translational equilibrium in non-thermal, argon-based plasmas at atmospheric pressure. In particular, rotational temperatures (T _rot) and neutral gas temperatures (T _g) are compared along the axis of plasma columns sustained by either radiofrequency (RF) or microwave (MW) electromagnetic fields. Water vapours or N₂ admixtures are added to the high-purity argon plasmas to record the rotational temperatures from the emission spectra of either the OH(A²Σ ⁺ − X²Π _i ) or the N₂ ⁺(B²Σ _u ⁺ − X²Σ _g ⁺ ) rovibrational systems. T _g values are also deduced from the line broadening of selected Ar emission lines using an hyperfine spectrometer. In the MW Ar/H₂O plasma, T _g decreases from ∼2100K close to the wave launcher to ∼1600K near the end of the plasma column, while T _rot is mostly constant in the 1500K range. In presence of N₂ admixtures instead of water vapours, T _g is higher by about 300K (from ∼2400K to ∼1900K), while T _rot decreases from ∼3200K to ∼2750K along the plasma column. A discrepancy between T _g and T _rot is also observed in the much colder RF plasmas with T _g ∼ 400K and T _rot ∼ 515K. Such departure from the rotational–translational equilibrium in both plasmas is ascribed to the influence of electrons competing with neutrals to impose their own temperature on the distribution of rotational levels of both ground and excited states.

这项工作检查了大气压下非热的、基于氩气的等离子体中的旋转-平移平衡。特别是，旋转温度 ( T _rot ) 和中性气体温度 ( T _g ) 沿着由射频 (RF) 或微波 (MW) 电磁场维持的等离子体柱的轴进行比较。将水蒸气或 N ₂混合物添加到高纯度氩等离子体中，以记录来自 OH(A ² Σ ⁺ − X ² Π _i ) 或 N ₂ ⁺ (B ² Σ _u ⁺ )的发射光谱的旋转温度− X ² Σ _g ⁺ ) 旋转振动系统。T _g值也可以从使用超精细光谱仪的选定 Ar 发射线的线加宽推导出来。在 MW Ar/H ₂ O 等离子体中，T _g从波发射器附近的 ~2100K 降低到等离子体柱末端附近的 ~1600K，而T _rot在 1500K 范围内大部分是恒定的。在存在 N ₂混合物而不是水蒸气的情况下，T _g升高约 300K（从~2400K 到~1900K），而T _rot从~3200K 沿血浆柱降低到~2750K。之间的差异Ť_克和 在更冷的 RF 等离子体中也观察到了T _rot，T _g ∼ 400K 和T _rot ∼ 515K。两种等离子体中旋转-平移平衡的这种偏离归因于电子与中性体竞争以将其自身温度强加于基态和激发态旋转能级分布的影响。