ABSTRACT
E xcited species, in p articu lar v ib rationally excited m olecu les, are o f special im portance in p lasm a chem ical k inetics. T h is is p rim arily due to the fact that m ost o f the d ischarge energy in m olecu la r gases can be fo cused on v ibrational excita tion o f m olecu les by e lec tron im pact. O ften m ore than 95% o f e lec tron gas energy can be tran sfe rred to the v ib ra tional excita tion . For tha t reason , the v ib rational excita tion , re laxation , and reactions o f v ib rationally excited m olecu les are considered in the m ost carefu l w ay in th is book and in p lasm a chem istry in general.
