Assessment of hydrocarbon electron-impact ionization cross section measurements for magnetic fusion

TL;DR

This study measures and analyzes electron-impact ionization cross sections for hydrocarbons like acetylene, ethylene, and propene, comparing new experimental data with existing data and exploring dissociation mechanisms relevant to magnetic fusion.

Contribution

It provides new ionization cross section measurements for hydrocarbons and integrates these into the HYDKIN database, enhancing data accuracy for plasma modeling.

Findings

New cross section data fits for hydrocarbons

Comparison with existing experimental data

Insights into dissociation mechanisms at energies above 20-30 eV

Abstract

Partial ionization cross section experiments have been carried out recently at the University of Innsbruck for three types of hydrocarbons, i.e. acetylene, ethylene and propene. Cross section data fits are generated and compared to the compilation of earlier experimental data summarized in the online database HYDKIN [www.hydkin.de]. New data fits are brought into a suitable form to be incorporated into the database. In order to illuminate underlying dissociation mechanisms the energy dependence of branching ratios above energies of 20 - 30eV is reviewed in light of the present results. This is a pre-peer reviewed version which has been submitted to Contributions to Plasma Physics.