Validity of a Boltzmann equation method for predicting the effect of ionization and attachment

Abstract

A Boltzmann equation method has been used to predict the effect of ionization upon the electron swarm parameters in argon (Tagashira et al., 1977). As a further test of the validity of the method, it is applied to a model gas of Lucas and Saelee (1975) into which either ionization or electron attachment is incorporated. A comparison between the swarm parameters calculated by the Boltzmann equation method and by a Monte Carlo simulation of the latter authors for various values of the ionization or attachment cross-section suggests that this method deduces correctly the ionization and the attachment frequencies, and the centre-of-mass electron drift velocity, not only in the presence of ionization but also in the presence of attachment. The electron diffusion coefficients and the electron mean energy are deduced also with good accuracies.