Two- and three-electron group models for low-pressure gas discharges

Abstract

In energy‐balance calculations on low‐pressure gas discharges it is often necessary to account for large deviations from Maxwellian electron‐energy distributions. A method recently introduced for this purpose is extended here and is applied to Cs–Ar and Ar discharges. While the two‐electron group model is still most satisfactory in describing excitation processes, the three‐electron group model developed here makes it possible to deal more accurately with ionization processes.