Thermal induced NDC of electron swarms in N-2 and N-2-like gases: the role of temperature and collision operator approximations

Casey, M. J. E., Cocks, D. G., Boyle, G. J., Brunger, M. J., Dujko, S., De Urquijo, J., and White, R. D. (2019) Thermal induced NDC of electron swarms in N-2 and N-2-like gases: the role of temperature and collision operator approximations. Plasma Sources Science and Technology, 28 (11). 115005.

[img] PDF (Published Version) - Published Version
Restricted to Repository staff only

View at Publisher Website: https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6595/ab4b96
 
2
1


Abstract

The role of temperature on the existence of negative differential conductivity (NDC) is investigated using Boltzmann equation calculations of electron swarms in gaseous nitrogen. This effect has been observed previously in both experimental results and calculations, with the important role of superelastic rotational collisional processes in this phenomenon being examined in this work. A simple analytic model cross-section set is employed to elucidate the role of de-excitation processes in NDC, with complementary physics identified in N-2. The criterion of Robson (1984 Aust. J. Phys. 37 35) for predicting the occurrence of NDC using only knowledge of the collisional cross-sections is utilised for both the model system and N-2, and found to be in excellent agreement with our simulated appearance of NDC. Finally, we also report on the impact of anisotropy in the very low threshold scattering channels on the transport coefficients, examine the finite difference collision operator of Frost and Phelps (1962 Phys. Rev. 127 1621) for the inelastic channel, in particular its neglect of recoil, and assess other assumptions utilised in existing Boltzmann equation solvers.

Item ID: 61371
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1361-6595
Keywords: negative differential conductivity, molecular nitrogen N-2, electron, multi-term Boltzmann equation
Copyright Information: © 2019 IOP Publishing Ltd.
Funders: Australian Research Council (ARC)
Projects and Grants: ARC Discovery Program (DP180101655)
Date Deposited: 08 Jan 2020 07:31
FoR Codes: 51 PHYSICAL SCIENCES > 5102 Atomic, molecular and optical physics > 510201 Atomic and molecular physics @ 50%
51 PHYSICAL SCIENCES > 5104 Condensed matter physics > 510404 Electronic and magnetic properties of condensed matter; superconductivity @ 50%
Downloads: Total: 1
More Statistics

Actions (Repository Staff Only)

Item Control Page Item Control Page