Collision processes in low-temperature hydrogen plasmas

Abstract

Collision processes among the constituents of low-temperature hydrogen plasmas (e, H, H$^{+}$, H$^{-}$, H$_{2}$ , H$^{+}_{2}$, H$^{+}_{3}$) play a key role in technical plasma applications as well as in the boundary regions of magnetically confined fusion plasmas. In this work a review of the current knowledge on their cross sections is presented. Collision processes of electronically and vibrationally excited species are also included in the present review. The energy range in which these processes are considered extends from thermal energies to several hundreds electronvolts (and to the keV region for some heavy-particle collision processes). The available experimental and theoretical cross section information is critically assessed and presented in form of analytic fit functions, convenient for use in plasma applications