Electron impact partial ionization cross section and thermal rate coefficients of gaseous refrigerants

Abstract

We have calculated the electron impact partial and total ionization cross sections of important gaseous targets, such as Trifluoromethane (CHF$_3$), 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane $(\mathrm{C_2H_2F_4})$ or R134a, 1,1,1-Trifluoroethane $(\mathrm{C_2H_3F_3})$ or R143a, 1,1,1-Trifluoropropane $(\mathrm{C_3H_5F_3})$ or R263fb, and 3,3,3-Trifluoropropene $(\mathrm{C_3H_3F_3})$ or R1243zf using the binary encounter Bethe model and its variants. The corresponding rate coefficients are calculated for total and partial ionization cross sections using the Maxwell's velocity distribution function. Our data for partial and total ionization along with the rate coefficient showed good agreement with the existing data in the literature. The targets studied are important for plasma applications and are used in gas-based detectors at high-energy physics experiments.