Electron attachment and ionization coefficients and electron drift velocities in BF3 and SiF4

The drift velocity of electrons (w) in SiF4 and BF3 has been measured over the density-reduced electric field (E/N) range 0.5×10−17 V cm2 ≤E/N≤300×10−17 V cm2 using a pulsed Townsend experimental technique. The electron attachment (η/N) and ionization (α/N) coefficients have also been measured in SiF4 and BF3 over the E/N range 30×10−17 V cm2 ≤E/N≤300×10−17 V cm2 in the same experiment. The electron drift velocities in these two gases exhibit regions of negative differential conductivity (NDC) similar to but smaller in magnitude than those in CH4 and CF4 . The effective ionization coefficient (ᾱ/N) has been obtained from the η/N and α/N measurements in both gases, from which the high-voltage limiting electric field strengths (E/N)lim have been found to be 123×10−17 V cm2 for BF3 and 121×10−17 V cm2 for SiF4. The significance of these results in modeling gas discharges for a number of technological applications is indicated.