Electron impact ionization and dielectric breakdown in the liquidnoble gases: a Monte Carlo simulation

摘要

Determining whether electron avalanches can occur in the liquidphase is of fundamental importance when formulating models forelectrical breakdown in liquids. The electron energy distributionfunction, drift velocity, and ionization rate for electrons in liquidxenon have been calculated using a kinetic model for electron transport.The electron scattering rates have been obtained using the Van Hoveapproach in which the liquid is characterized by the dynamic structurefunction, S(q&oarr;, ω). The threshold field for ionization, E,(such that the ionization coefficient, α≠0 for E>E_t) is found to be ≈400 kV/cm. This value for E_t aswell as those for α are in good agreement with experiment. Theseresults, and those of Kunhardt (1991), are used to assess models forpulsed breakdown in the liquid noble gases