Rate coefficients and inelastic momentum transfer cross sections for electronic excitation of N/sub 2/ by electrons

Journal Article · Sat Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1978 · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.325390· OSTI ID:6930019

Cartwright, D C

Rate coefficients, as a function of the electron temperature, have been determined from the integral cross sections for excitation of the 19 singlet and triplet electronic states of N/sub 2/ within 14.2 eV of the ground state. For electron temperatures less than 10 eV, the rates for excitation of the A /sup 3/..sigma../sup +//sub u/, B /sup 3/Pi/sub g/, W /sup 3/..delta../sub u/, and a /sup 1/Pi/sub g/ are all greater than that for excitation of the C /sup 3/Pi/sub u/ state. The differential cross sections for excitation of these same electronic states were also used to calculate the inelastic momentum transfer associated with the excitation of these states. The total momentum transfer cross section for electrons in N/sub 2/, as a function of the electron energy, was obtained by adding the inelastic momentum transfer to that associated with elastic scattering. Inelastic momentum transfer accounts for about 25% of the total momentum transfer above 15 eV. Over the energy range 20--60 eV, inelastic scattering contributes 20--25% to the total N/sub 2/ electron scattering cross section. The total scattering cross section obtained here is in good agreement with a recent direct measurement of this cross section.

• Research Organization: Theoretical Division, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
• OSTI ID: 6930019
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 49:7; ISSN JAPIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300 -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
640304* -- Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics-- Collision Phenomena
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
COLLISIONS
CROSS SECTIONS
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
ELECTRON COLLISIONS
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
ELECTRON-MOLECULE COLLISIONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY LEVELS
ENERGY LOSSES
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITATION
FLUIDS
GAS LASERS
GROUND STATES
INELASTIC SCATTERING
LASERS
MOLECULE COLLISIONS
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
SCATTERING