Dissociative excitation as the source of neutral atoms in hydrogen discharges

Electron impact dissociative excitation of H/sub 2/ molecules is identified as the origin of the narrow width and structure of Balmer lines observed in various low density hydrogen discharges. On the basis of this data and estimates of the rates of competing processes in plasmas, dissociative excitation, together with other molecular reactions, is proposed as the source of neutral atoms and protons in these discharges.