Maximum specific energy deposited in hydrogen and role of VV processes

It was found experimentally that a specific input energy of ~1J·cm^–3·atm^–1(~1 eV per molecule) could be achieved for hydrogen. This input energy was attained only when the pump pulse duration was less than the characteristic population time of higher vibrational levels of H₂ because of the VV processes. The drift velocities of electrons and the effective recombination constants of H₂ and its mixtures with rare gases were determined.