Approximation of the Mobility of Atomic Ions of Noble Gases in Their Parent Gas

Abstract

The mobility of ions plays an important role in the theoretical analysis of many phenomena in low-temperature plasmas, such as ambipolar diffusion, the formation of electrode and surface sheaths in gas discharges, particle charging and the ion drag force in dusty plasmas. A modification of the semiempirical Frost formula for the mobility of positive atomic ions in their parent gases is proposed. The modified expression demonstrates excellent agreement with experimental results for various ionized rare gases in a very wide range of electric field strengths and temperatures.