Electron swarm parameters in C$_2$H$_2$, C$_2$H$_4$ and C$_2$H$_6$: measurements and kinetic calculations

TL;DR

This study measures and analyzes electron swarm parameters in C$_2$H$_2$, C$_2$H$_4$, and C$_2$H$_6$ using experimental and kinetic simulation methods across a wide electric field range, comparing results with previous data and calculations.

Contribution

It provides new experimental measurements of electron swarm parameters in C$_2$H$_n$ gases and compares these with kinetic calculations, highlighting the importance of vibrational excitation in C$_2$H$_2$.

Findings

Experimental data are consistent with previous studies.

Kinetic calculations show vibrational excitation affects swarm parameters.

Correction factors improve data accuracy.

Abstract

This work presents swarm parameters of electrons (the bulk drift velocity, the bulk longitudinal component of the diffusion tensor, and the effective ionization frequency) in C$_2$H$_n$, with $n =$ 2, 4 and 6, measured in a scanning drift tube apparatus under time-of-flight conditions over a wide range of the reduced electric field, 1 Td $\leq\,E/N\,\leq$ 1790 Td (1 Td = $10^{-21}$ Vm$^2$). The effective steady-state Townsend ionization coefficient is also derived from the experimental data. A kinetic simulation of the experimental drift cell allows estimating the uncertainties introduced in the data acquisition procedure and provides a correction factor to each of the measured swarm parameters. These parameters are compared to results of previous experimental studies, as well as to results of various kinetic swarm calculations: solutions of the electron Boltzmann equation under different approximations (multiterm and density gradient expansions) and Monte Carlo simulations. The experimental data are consistent with most of the swarm parameters obtained in earlier studies. In the case of C$_2$H$_2$, the swarm calculations show that the thermally excited vibrational population should not be neglected, in particular, in the fitting of cross sections to swarm results.