Electron drift velocity and momentum cross-section in mercury, sodium and thallium vapours. II. Theoretical

For pt.I see ibid., vol.11, p.325 (1978). Theoretical values for the electron drift velocity have been calculated in mercury, sodium and thallium for 7*10 -18 <or=E/N<or=5*10 -16 V cm 2 using Boltzmann's equation. The momentum cross-section for electron/atom collisions has been obtained as a function of electron energy by using an iterative procedure which produces a good agreement between the calculated and experimental values of the drift velocity. Other electron swarm parameters have been calculated as a function of E/N: namely, electron mean energy, the ratio of radial diffusion coefficient to mobility and the fraction of swarm energy loss to inelastic collisions.