First-principles particle simulation and Boltzmann equation analysis of Negative Differential Conductivity and Transient Negative Mobility effects in xenon

Abstract

The Negative Differential Conductivity and Transient Negative Mobility effects in xenon gas are analyzed by a first-principles particle simulation technique and via an approximate solution of the Boltzmann transport equation (BE). The particle simulation method is devoid of the approximations that are traditionally adopted in the BE solutions in which (i) the distribution function is searched for in a two- term form, (ii) the Coulomb part of the collision integral for the anisotropic part of the distribution function is neglected, (iii) Coulomb collisions are treated as binary events, and (iv) the range of the electron-electron interaction is limited to a cutoff distance. The results obtained from the two methods are, for both effects, in good qualitative agreement, small differences are attributed to the approximations listed above.