Measurement of Electron Swarm Parameters in Nitrous Oxide

Abstract

This study has measured the density-normalized effective ionization coefficients (α−η)/N, the electron drift velocity Ve and the diffusion coefficient DL in nitrous oxide (N2O) using a pulsed Townsend technique. The range of the overall density-normalized electric field strength E/N is from 100 Td to 400 Td (1 Td=10−17 V·cm2). From the above plots of (α−η)/N, we have derived the limiting field strength, (E/N)lim ≈ 150 Td, which is the value of E/N at which (α−η)/N = 0.