Electric field dependence of transient electron transport properties in rare-gas moderators

Journal Article · Sun Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1985 · Phys. Rev. A; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.32.3669· OSTI ID:5072238

Shizgal, B; McMahon, D R.A.

A discrete-ordinate method of solution of the time-dependent Boltzmann-Fokker-Planck equation for electron swarms in rare-gas moderators is employed in the study of the time dependence of the average electron energy, mobility, and transverse diffusion coefficient versus the strength of an externally applied electric field. The solution of the Fokker-Planck equation is based on the expansion of the solution in the eigenfunctions of the Lorentz-Fokker-Planck operator. With the transformation to an equivalent Schroedinger eigenvalue problem, the eigenvalue spectrum is shown to be entirely discrete, thereby validating the eigenfunction-expansion approach. The effects studied include the effect of an electric field on the thermalization times, a comparison of the effects of moderators with and without Ramsauer minima in the momentum-transfer cross sections, and the effect of an external electric field on the transient negative-mobility phenomena predicted in an earlier paper. A comparison with experimental results for Xe shows good agreement with the calculations.

• Research Organization: Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T1Y6
• OSTI ID: 5072238
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. A; (United States), Vol. 32:6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
ELECTRONS
DIFFUSION
RARE GASES
CHARGED-PARTICLE TRANSPORT
BEAM EMITTANCE
DISCRETE ORDINATE METHOD
EIGENVALUES
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRON MOBILITY
ENERGY LOSSES
FOKKER-PLANCK EQUATION
KINETIC ENERGY
MOBILITY
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY
EQUATIONS
FERMIONS
FLUIDS
GASES
LEPTONS
LOSSES
NONMETALS
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PARTICLE MOBILITY
RADIATION TRANSPORT
654001* - Radiation & Shielding Physics- Radiation Physics
Shielding Calculations & Experiments