Nonequilibrium Processes in Partially Ionized Gases

The NATO . Advanced Research Insti tute on Nonequilibrium Processes in Partially Ionized Gases was held at Acquafredda di Maratea during 4-17 June 1989. The Institute considered the interconnections between scattering and transport theories and modeling of nonequilibrium systems generated by electrical discharges, emphasizing the importance of microscopic processes in affecting the bulk properties of plasmas. The book tries to reproduce these lines. In particular several contributions describe scattering cross sections involving electrons interacting with atoms and molecules in both ground and excited states (from theoretical and experimental point of view), of energy transfer processes as well as reactive ones involving excited molecules colliding with atoms and molecules as well as with metallic surfaces. Other contributions deal with the basis of transport theories (Boltzmann and Monte Carlo methods) for describing the bulk properties of non equilibrium plasmas as well as with the modeling of complicated systems emphasizing in particular the strong coupling between the Boltzmann equation and excited state kinetics. Finally the book contains several contributions describing applications in different fields such as Excimer Lasers, Negative Ion Production, RF Discharges, Plasma Chemistry, Atmospheric Processes and Physics of Lamps. The Organizing Committee gratefully acknowledges the generous financial support provided by the NATO Science Committee as well as by Azienda Autonoma di Soggiorno e Turismo of Maratea, by University of Bari, by C. N. R. (Centro di Studio per la Chimica dei Plasmi and Comitato per la Chimica), by ENEA, by Lawrence Livermore Laboratory and by US Army Research Office.

Invited Papers.- Theory of Electron Collisions in Partially Ionized Gases.- Electron Collisions with Molecules.- Electron Transport in Partially Ionized Gases.- Non Equilibrium Plasma Kinetics.- Modeling High Pressure Electric Discharges: Applications to Excimer Lasers.- Energy Transfer in Atom/Molecule Collisions with Molecules and Surfaces.- Reactivity Calculations for Elementary Atom-Diatom Processes and Applications to Non-Equilibrium Systems.- Excimer Lasers: Status and Perspectives.- Fundamental Properties of RF Glow Discharges: An Approach Based on Self-Consistent Numerical Models.- Theory of High-Frequency Discharges.- Volume Production of Hydrogen Negative Ions.- Laser Diagnostics of a Hydrogen Discharge.- Hydrogen-Surface Interactions.- Plasma Assisted Thin Film Production WC, a-C:H and Diamond Films.- Electric Discharge Lamps.- Contributed Papers.- Inelastic Scattering of Electrons From H2 Molecule and First-Born Approximation: Role Of Correlation.- Electron-Molecule Collision Cross Sections for Etching Gases.- Electron Collisions in Gas Switches.- Theory of e- -Diatom Scattering at Low Energies.- A Parameter-Free Theoretical Model for Low-Energy Electron Scattering from Polyatomic Molecules.- Electron Collision Cross-Sections Determined from Beam and Swarm Data by Boltzmann Analysis.- Electron Collision Cross Sections Involving Excited States.- Electron Collision Cross Sections Involving Excited States.- New Theoretical Approaches for Studying Electron Collisions with Small Molecules.- Ion-Neutral Reactions.- Energy Pooling Collisions: A Step Towards Ionization.- Potential Energy Curves of Open Shell Systems (Excimers) from Molecular Beam Scattering.- Molecular Beam Measurements of Ionization Cross Sections Relevant to Thermal Plasmas and Excimer Laser Systems.- The Silent Discharge and Its Application to Ozone and Excimer Formation.- Non Equilibrium Excimer Laser Kinetics.- Study of A Photoswitched Discharge for Excimer Laser.- A Self-Consistent Monte Carlo Modeling of RF Non-Equilibrium Plasma.- Charged Particles Dynamics in Electropositive Glow Discharges Probed by Optical Diagnostics.- Problems in the Experimental Determination of Electron Energy Distribution Function in RF Discharges.- Spectroscopic Diagnostics in the Cathode Fall and Negative Glow of a Nitrogen Glow Discharge.- Electron Kinetics in RF Discharges.- A Radiofrequency Trap for Tests on Production and Excitation of Ions.- Gas-Phase and Gas-Surface Interactions of Vibrationally Excited Hydrogen Molecules.- Translational Energy Distribution Functions of H+ and H in H2 Volume Discharges.- Numerical Simulation on Tandem Negative Ion Source.- Atomic and Molecular Surface and Volume Processes in the Analysis of Negative Hydrogen Discharges.- Interpretation and Analysis of the H2 Vibrational Distribution in a Hydrogen Discharge.- Electron Energy Distribution Functions in Magnetic Multipole Plasmas.- Effects Due to Negative Ions and Particles in Plasmas.- Electron and Vibrational Kinetics in Molecular Discharges.- Laser Diagnostic of Radio-Frequency Oxygen Plasma.- Spectroscopy and Kinetics of an Oxygen Glow Discharge.- Simulation Work in Noble Gas Radiation Detectors.- A Description of The Non-Equilibrium Behavior of Electrons in Matter: Macro-Kinetics.- Thermalization and Transport of Sputtered Particles in Glow Discharges.- The Free Electron Laser: A Simple Quantum Picture.- Electron and Photon Collisions in Strong Laser Fields.- Resonant Photopumping of Lithiumlike Ions in Laser-Produced Plasmas.- Ionization and Deionization of Electron Beam Disturbed Air.- Re-Entry Problems.- Diagnostics of Atomic Species Near the Electrodes of a Fluorescent Lamp.- Excited State Diagnostics in High Pressure Arc Lamps.- Participants.