Associative ionization in mercury

Conference · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:419812

Folan, L M; Sheverev, V A ^[1]

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1. Polytechnic Univ., Brooklyn, NY (United States). Dept. of Applied Mathematics and Physics

Ionization in binary collisions of 6{sup 3}P{sub 0,1,2} excited mercury atoms are of particular importance for the charge particle balance in low temperature mercury-rare gas plasmas, which have found wide and successful application in fluorescent lamps. The principal weak point of existing theoretical models of lighting plasmas is the choice of processes assumed to lead to ionization in collisions of 6{sup 3}P atoms of mercury, and hence to large uncertainties in the cross-section and rate constant data. In fact, the cross-section values used in discharge models differ by more than a factor of ten. Binary 6{sup 3}P{sub 0} collisions, usually neglected, are expected to be of great importance. The authors preset numerical results from the GLOMAC model, showing the variation in fluorescent lamp operating characteristics as the rate constants for ionization in collisions of 6{sup 3}P atoms are varied through the range allowed by existing experimental results. The notable dependencies observed illustrate the need for more accurate experimental data. A novel experimental approach to the measurement of absolute collisional ionization cross-sections, based on a radio frequency ion trap, is proposed.

• OSTI ID: 419812
• Report Number(s): CONF-960634--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
EXCITED STATES
FLUORESCENT LAMPS
MEASURING METHODS
OPERATION