Bremsstrahlung During the Collision of Low-Energy Electrons with Neutral Atoms and Molecules
Abstract
This Memorandum discusses the bremsstrahlung radiation emitted during the collision of low-energy electrons with neutral atoms and molecules. The discussion is limited to the case of low-energies E < or = 1 ev, and soft photons, h omega << E, where E is the electron kinetic energy, and omega is the radiation frequency. The bremsstrahlung rate is expressed in terms of the elastic scattering amplitude, and use is made of various experimental and theoretical studies of the low-energy elastic scattering of electrons by neutral atoms and molecules. The rate of bremsstrahlung emission from a partially ionized gas due to electron-neutral collisions is calculated, and the results are presented in Eqs. (20) and (22). In Eq. (29) the electron-neutral bremsstrahlung rate is compared to the electron-ion bremsstrahlung rate.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1962
- Accession Number
- AD0291611
Entities
People
- R. O. Hundley
Organizations
- RAND Corporation