Estimation of accurate electron collision cross-section sets for gases in a low energy region

Abstract

An electron collision cross-section set is the most fundamental information describing electron behaviour in gases, and electron transport parameters, such as the ionisation coefficient, drift velocity, etc., are calculated from the cross-section set using a Boltzmann equation analysis and Monte Carlo simulation. Further, these transport coefficients are often used in the simulation of plasma applications, so that sufficient accuracy and validity of the transport coefficients and the electron collision cross-section set are essential. In this tutorial, an electron swarm method to estimate the electron collision cross-section sets and Monte Carlo simulation to calculate the electron transport coefficients accurately are explained, and then the cross-section sets of H₂O and Tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) vapours are illustrated.