Calculation of cross sections and rate coefficients for the electron impact multiple ionization of beryllium, boron, carbon, and oxygen atoms

Abstract

The semiclassical Deutsch-Märk (DM) formalism was used in a series of calculations of cross sections for the formation of Be m+ ( m = 1–4), B m+ ( m = 1–5), C m+ ( m = 1–6), and O m+ ( m = 1–8) ions by electron impact on the neutral atoms. Our calculated cross sections are compared with available experimental and other theoretical data and systematic trends in the data are highlighted. We also calculated a set of ionization rate coefficients on the basis of the calculated cross sections and Maxwell-Boltzmann electron energy distributions. In many applications, particularly applications relating to fusion plasmas, rate coefficients are more desirable than ionization cross sections.