Electron swarm properties under the influence of a very strong attachment in SF6 and CF3I obtained by Monte Carlo rescaling procedures

Abstract

Electron attachment often imposes practical difficulties in Monte Carlo simulations, particularly under conditions of extensive losses of seed electrons. In this paper, we discuss two rescaling procedures for Monte Carlo simulations of electron transport in strongly attaching gases: (1) discrete rescaling, and (2) continuous rescaling. The two procedures are implemented in our Monte Carlo code with an aim of analyzing electron transport processes and attachment induced phenomena in sulfur-hexafluoride (SF6) and trifluoroiodomethane (CF3I). Though calculations have been performed over the entire range of reduced electric fields E/n0 (where n0 is the gas number density) where experimental data are available, the emphasis is placed on the analysis below critical (electric gas breakdown) fields and under conditions when transport properties are greatly affected by electron attachment. The present calculations of electron transport data for SF6 and CF3I at low E/n0 take into account the full extent of the influence of electron attachment and spatially selective electron losses along the profile of electron swarm and attempts to produce data that may be used to model this range of conditions. The results of Monte Carlo simulations are compared to those predicted by the publicly available two term Boltzmann solver BOLSIG+. A multitude of kinetic phenomena in electron transport has been observed and discussed using physical arguments. In particular, we discuss two important phenomena: (1) the reduction of the mean energy with increasing E/n0 for electrons in and (2) the occurrence of negative differential conductivity (NDC) in the bulk drift velocity only for electrons in both and CF3I. The electron energy distribution function, spatial variations of the rate coefficient for electron attachment and average energy as well as spatial profile of the swarm are calculated and used to understand these phenomena.