Investigation of Electron Attachment and Dissociation Rates in C2F6/CH4 Electric Gas Discharges.

Abstract

This investigation determined the attachment and dissociation rates of the electronegative gas, C2F6, in a buffer gas of methane, Ch4, at atmospheric pressure when undergoing electron-beam sustained gas discharges. A non-linear least-squares fit of the electron lifetime equation to the decay portion of the discharge current pulse indicates an attachment rate of 500,000/sec for a gas mixture ratio of 1/7550, C2F6/CH4 and an E/N range of 3 to 13 Townsend. Results of the curve fit were inconclusive for E/N below 3 Townsend due to the effects of a slowly decaying electron-beam. Attempts were made to measure the dissociation rate of C2F6 as a function of discharge time for a ratio of E/N equal to 13 Townsend using a residual gas analyzer. The actual dissociation rate was not determined. However, it was confirmed that the dissociation of C2F6 due to the electron-beam ionization pulses and the corresponding gas discharge was not significant in large closed-cycle gas flow loops as proposed for pulsed power switching if E/N is held below 13 Townsend. Originator supplied keywords include: Electron-beam, Attachment, Recombination, Perfluorocarbons, Switch, Cathode-fall, Cross section, Plasma, Gaseous discharge, Electron, Electric, Dissociation.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1984
Accession Number
ADA151796

Entities

People

  • V. R. Wilson

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Barometric Pressure
  • Charge Carriers
  • Charged Particles
  • Current Density
  • Electron Beams
  • Electron Density
  • Electron Energy
  • Electrons
  • Energy
  • Energy Storage
  • Free Electrons
  • Gas Discharges
  • Glow Discharges
  • High Pressure
  • Measurement
  • Pulsed Power

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Molecular Photonics/Laser Physics
  • Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Directed Energy - Lasers
  • Microelectronics