Electron-Transfer Coefficients in Weakly Ionized Plasma with Dust Particles

Abstract

Based on a numerical solution of the Boltzmann equation and the equation for charging monodisperse macroparticles, the influence of dust on the electron-transfer coefficients is investigated in a weakly ionized plasma within the range of the reduced-field values E/N = 5·10⁻¹⁸–1·10⁻¹⁵ V·cm2 and dust parameters nd a² = 10⁻⁴–5·10⁻³ cm⁻¹. It is shown that in the region of small values of E/N the diffusion and mobility coefficients in the argon plasma increase upon addition of dust, given the invariable reduced-field value. The effect is accounted for by the presence of a Ramsauer minimum in the transport cross-section of particle collisions. For the discharge in helium, the deviations in the transfer coefficients after the introduction of dust are less pronounced. The presence of dust changes the structure of the electron energy loss during collisions – the fraction of inelastic loss becomes essential in the entire range of the E/N values.