A self-consistent numerical model has been developed for an RF plasma discharge in oxygen. The model contains about 100 ion-molecular reactions with 13 neutral and charged species of the RF plasma. The energy distributions of both charged and neutral plasma components with respect to the electrodes have been calculated using a Monte Carlo method. The angular distributions of fast neutral species have also been calculated.

An effective method for calculating the electron energy distribution function in a plasma pumped by an electron beam is suggested. The electron impact excitation rates of different N2 and Hg states are obtained. The evolution of populations of the N2 excited states and of the Hg radiative states in a N2-Hg mixture is considered. The characteristic time tau e of equilibrium establishment is shown to be strongly dependent on the pressure of the mixture. The variation of the N2(A3 Sigma ) population is found to be determined by the dynamics of the Hg emissions if the measurement time is longer than tau e.