Electron Impact Ionization and Partial Ionization Cross Sections of Plasma-Relevant SiCl<sub><i>x</i></sub> (x = 1–3) Molecules

The electron-impact ionization and partial ionization cross sections are reported for few silicon-chlorine molecules using semi-empirical methods. The partial ionization cross sections are determined using a modified version of the binary-encounter-Bethe model. In this approach, the binary-encounter...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Savinder Kaur, Ajay Kumar Arora, Kasturi Lal Baluja, Anand Bharadvaja
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Atoms
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2218-2004/13/7/64
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849303532259246080
author Savinder Kaur
Ajay Kumar Arora
Kasturi Lal Baluja
Anand Bharadvaja
author_facet Savinder Kaur
Ajay Kumar Arora
Kasturi Lal Baluja
Anand Bharadvaja
author_sort Savinder Kaur
collection DOAJ
description The electron-impact ionization and partial ionization cross sections are reported for few silicon-chlorine molecules using semi-empirical methods. The partial ionization cross sections are determined using a modified version of the binary-encounter-Bethe model. In this approach, the binary-encounter-Bethe model is modified through a two-step process, namely, transforming the binding energies of the occupied orbitals and introducing a scaling factor. The scaling can be done using either the mass spectrometry data or experimental values of cross sections. It correctly adjusts the scaling term of the BEB model so that the order of magnitude of resulting partial ionization cross sections is the same as that of experimental values. Further, the use of the experimental value of ionization and appearance energy values ensures that the cross sections have a correct threshold. This further mitigates the dependence of cross sections on energy at low values. The role of the scaling factor and the behavior of branching ratios is also examined at different energies. The species whose partial ionization cross sections are reported are highly relevant in plasma processing. However, the proposed model can be extended to any multi-centerd molecular structures comprising a large number of atoms or electrons, except in cases where resonance effects or additional ionization channels become significant. The mass spectrometry data is of utmost importance in computing partial ionization cross sections in order to obtain reliable results.
format Article
id doaj-art-b6bc4f3117b143a0934d49ac24007d99
institution Kabale University
issn 2218-2004
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Atoms
spelling doaj-art-b6bc4f3117b143a0934d49ac24007d992025-08-20T03:58:26ZengMDPI AGAtoms2218-20042025-07-011376410.3390/atoms13070064Electron Impact Ionization and Partial Ionization Cross Sections of Plasma-Relevant SiCl<sub><i>x</i></sub> (x = 1–3) MoleculesSavinder Kaur0Ajay Kumar Arora1Kasturi Lal Baluja2Anand Bharadvaja3Department of Physics, SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, IndiaDepartment of Physics, Ramjas College, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, IndiaDepartment of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, IndiaDepartment of Physics, Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences, University of Delhi, Delhi 110075, IndiaThe electron-impact ionization and partial ionization cross sections are reported for few silicon-chlorine molecules using semi-empirical methods. The partial ionization cross sections are determined using a modified version of the binary-encounter-Bethe model. In this approach, the binary-encounter-Bethe model is modified through a two-step process, namely, transforming the binding energies of the occupied orbitals and introducing a scaling factor. The scaling can be done using either the mass spectrometry data or experimental values of cross sections. It correctly adjusts the scaling term of the BEB model so that the order of magnitude of resulting partial ionization cross sections is the same as that of experimental values. Further, the use of the experimental value of ionization and appearance energy values ensures that the cross sections have a correct threshold. This further mitigates the dependence of cross sections on energy at low values. The role of the scaling factor and the behavior of branching ratios is also examined at different energies. The species whose partial ionization cross sections are reported are highly relevant in plasma processing. However, the proposed model can be extended to any multi-centerd molecular structures comprising a large number of atoms or electrons, except in cases where resonance effects or additional ionization channels become significant. The mass spectrometry data is of utmost importance in computing partial ionization cross sections in order to obtain reliable results.https://www.mdpi.com/2218-2004/13/7/64dissociation ionizationscattering cross sectionsclose-coupling approximationsemi-empirical methodsbinary-encounter-Bethe-methodmass spectrometry
spellingShingle Savinder Kaur
Ajay Kumar Arora
Kasturi Lal Baluja
Anand Bharadvaja
Electron Impact Ionization and Partial Ionization Cross Sections of Plasma-Relevant SiCl<sub><i>x</i></sub> (x = 1–3) Molecules
Atoms
dissociation ionization
scattering cross sections
close-coupling approximation
semi-empirical methods
binary-encounter-Bethe-method
mass spectrometry
title Electron Impact Ionization and Partial Ionization Cross Sections of Plasma-Relevant SiCl<sub><i>x</i></sub> (x = 1–3) Molecules
title_full Electron Impact Ionization and Partial Ionization Cross Sections of Plasma-Relevant SiCl<sub><i>x</i></sub> (x = 1–3) Molecules
title_fullStr Electron Impact Ionization and Partial Ionization Cross Sections of Plasma-Relevant SiCl<sub><i>x</i></sub> (x = 1–3) Molecules
title_full_unstemmed Electron Impact Ionization and Partial Ionization Cross Sections of Plasma-Relevant SiCl<sub><i>x</i></sub> (x = 1–3) Molecules
title_short Electron Impact Ionization and Partial Ionization Cross Sections of Plasma-Relevant SiCl<sub><i>x</i></sub> (x = 1–3) Molecules
title_sort electron impact ionization and partial ionization cross sections of plasma relevant sicl sub i x i sub x 1 3 molecules
topic dissociation ionization
scattering cross sections
close-coupling approximation
semi-empirical methods
binary-encounter-Bethe-method
mass spectrometry
url https://www.mdpi.com/2218-2004/13/7/64
work_keys_str_mv AT savinderkaur electronimpactionizationandpartialionizationcrosssectionsofplasmarelevantsiclsubixisubx13molecules
AT ajaykumararora electronimpactionizationandpartialionizationcrosssectionsofplasmarelevantsiclsubixisubx13molecules
AT kasturilalbaluja electronimpactionizationandpartialionizationcrosssectionsofplasmarelevantsiclsubixisubx13molecules
AT anandbharadvaja electronimpactionizationandpartialionizationcrosssectionsofplasmarelevantsiclsubixisubx13molecules