The Impact of Direct Ionization by Beam Electrons on the Electron Kinetics of the Beam Discharge Plasma in Molecular Hydrogen

Abstract

AbstractIn a recent paper the stationary beam plasma discharge in partially dissociated hydrogen was investigated where the electron component was described by the Boltzmann equation for a mixture of atomic and molecular hydrogen and the main heavy charged and neutral particles by balance equations. It was assumed that, via the quasilinear beam plasma interaction, the electron beam produces only the turbulent electric field whilst an additional production of plasma electrons due to direct ionization by the beam and thus a direct influence on the balances of charge carriers were neglected. Now the additional production of plasma electrons due to direct ionization by the beam is studied on the basis of a generalized Boltzmann equation but for the simpler model of a purely molecular hydrogen plasma. For experimentally obtainable values of the turbulence energy density, beam energy, beam ionization degree and electron life time the calculation of the electron energy distribution function and of the direct beam contribution to the electron particle balance shows a marked influence of the direct beam ionization with increasing degree of beam ionization.