Cross sections and transport properties of negative ions in rare gases

Abstract

We have used a combination of a simple semi-analytic theory - Momentum Transfer Theory (MTT) and exact Monte Carlo (MC) simulations to develop momentum transfer cross sections of negative ions in collisions with noble gases based on the available data for reduced mobility at 300K as a function of E/N. At very low energies, we extrapolated obtained cross sections using Langevin's cross section and supplemented it by the total detachment cross section that was used from the threshold around 6 eV up to 100 eV. Other possible reactive processes have not been taken into account. A good agreement for the mean energy and diffusion coefficients is an independent proof of the validity of the cross sections that were derived for the negative ion mobility data.