Charge Exchange Cross Sections for Noble Gas Ions and N2 between 0.2 and 5.0 keV

Abstract

Charge transfer of an electron from a neutral atom to an ion is a fundamental interaction that plays a dominant role in the energy balance of atmospheric and astrophysical plasmas. The present investigation measured the charge exchange cross sections of noble gas ions (He+, Ne+, Ar+, Kr+) with N2 in the intermediate energy range 0.2-5.0 keV. The systems were chosen because there remains a lack of consensus amongst previous measurements and regions where there were no previous measurements. A description of the mechanical design for an electrically floated gas cell is described herein.