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Kinetic coefficients in a cool helium plasma at high E/N

Journal Article · · High Temp. (Engl. Transl.); (United States)
OSTI ID:6087919

It is important to make a detailed study of the characteristics of electron motion in gases in steady electric fields not only for practical purposes but also for theoretical ones. On comparing the observed and calculated transport coefficients, one can adjust the cross sections for the elementary processes of electron collision with atoms and molecules. Here we calculate the electron transport coefficients for helium in the range 10/sup -16/ V. cm/sup 2/ less than or equal to E/N less than or equal to 30.10/sup -16/ V.cm/sup 2/ (E is the electric field strength and N is the number of particles in unit volume), i.e., for conditions where one has to allow for the formation of new (secondary) electrons during ionization. The calculation is based on numerical solution of a modified kinetic Boltzmann equation for the electrons, whose form is determined by the type of experiment. We examine the effebTs of the secondary-electron energy distribution on the results.

OSTI ID:
6087919
Journal Information:
High Temp. (Engl. Transl.); (United States), Journal Name: High Temp. (Engl. Transl.); (United States) Vol. 22:6; ISSN HITEA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English