Electron Transport in $$\vec E$$ and $${\mathbf{\vec B}}$$ Fields

Abstract

In this chapter, we discuss the fundamentals of electron transport in static external electric and magnetic fields in vacuum and dense media. By “static” and “external” is meant that macroscopic \(\vec E\) and/or \({\mathbf{\vec B}}\) fields are set up in the region where the electron transport is taking place. For example, a high-energy particle detector may be placed in a constant magnetic field so that the momentum of charged particles may be analyzed. The external fields are considered to be static in the sense that they do not change with time during the course of the simulations. This is not a fundamental constraint, but is imposed for simplicity. The bulk of the discussion concerns the theoretical viability of performing electron transport in dense media in the presence of external fields. The trajectories of particles in this case can be quite complicated. The particles can be subjected to a myriad of forces — de-accelerations due to inelastic processes with orbital electrons and nuclei, elastic deflections due to attraction or repulsion in the nuclear electric field, accelerations or de-accelerations by the external electric field, and deflections by the external electric and magnetic fields.