The role of electron scattering with vibrationally excited nitrogen molecules on non-equilibrium plasma kinetics

Journal Article · Tue Oct 15 04:00:00 EDT 2013 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4824003· OSTI ID:22218487

Capitelli, Mario ^[1]; Colonna, Gianpiero; D'Ammando, Giuliano; Laricchiuta, Annarita ^[2]; Laporta, Vincenzo ^[3]

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1. Dipartimento di Chimica, Universitá di Bari, Via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari (Italy)
2. CNR-IMIP, Via Amendola 122/D, 70126 Bari (Italy)
3. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, London WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom)

Electron energy distribution functions have been calculated by a self-consistent model which couples the electron Boltzmann equation with vibrationally and electronically excited state kinetics and plasma chemistry. Moderate pressure nitrogen gas discharges in the E/N range from 30 to 60 Townsend are investigated comparing an electron-impact cross section set considering transitions starting from all the vibrational states, with reduced models, taking into account only collisions involving the ground vibrational level. The results, while confirming the important role of second kind collisions in affecting the eedf, show a large dependence of the eedf on the set of inelastic processes involving vibrationally and electronically excited molecules, pointing out the need of using a cross section database including processes linking excited states in non-equilibrium plasma discharge models.

• OSTI ID: 22218487
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 20; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ATOM-MOLECULE COLLISIONS
BOLTZMANN EQUATION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CROSS SECTIONS
ELECTRONS
ENERGY SPECTRA
GROUND STATES
MOLECULE-MOLECULE COLLISIONS
MOLECULES
NITROGEN
NON-EQUILIBRIUM PLASMA
TOWNSEND DISCHARGE
VIBRATIONAL STATES