Initiation of NF3-H2chemical reactions via CO2laser irradiation of NF4BF4

NF
4
BF
4
has been irradiated with a low-power CO
2
laser to produce reactive species which then initiate reactions in an ambient NF
3
-H
2
mixture. The laser-induced decomposition of NF
4
BF
4
in vacuum was measured as a function of laser power and energy. The laser-induced decomposition threshold was determined to be 40 mJ, which corresponds to a laser fluence of 20 J/cm
²
. This same value was determined for the initiation threshold of NF
3
-H
2
reactions via CO
2
laser irradiation of NF
4
BF
4
. Visible and infrared emissions were observed from initiated NF
3
-H
2
mixtures. This radiative technique has attractive features for initiating reactions in solid-gas systems.