Parent-Ion Recapture in Gases

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Very early measurements of conductivity in irradiated gases demonstrated the importance of preferential recombination of charges, i.e., recombination of positive and negative charges before they escape their mutual field. An important part of preferential recombination is the parent‐ion recapture of electrons. No theoretical treatment of this process appears to have been given. In this paper the mechanism of parent‐ion recapture of electrons in gases is considered in some detail. Two models are used: one applicable at low and intermediate pressures and the other applicable at high pressures. It appears from this study that essentially all preferential recombination can be explained satisfactorily in terms of parent‐ion recapture of electrons. A brief consideration of solids is also given and it is shown that parent‐ion recapture is to be expected in irradiated semi‐conductors which have small mobility of charge carriers.