ABSTRACT
A hollow cathode sputter source is developed to trace the production of carbon clusters and study the influence of discharge current and argon gas pressure on cluster production using an optical emission spectroscopic technique. Optical emission spectra from the hollow cathode source reveal the production of the C2 Swan band. The sputter source is optimized for the maximum carbon cluster yield. The vibrational temperature analysis of the C2 cluster is carried out using the Boltzmann plot method. The dependence of vibrational temperature on argon gas pressure is discussed and the dominant method for C-C association in the glow discharge is suggested.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We acknowledge the assistance of the PRL workshop staff in designing and fabricating the discharge source.