A Is there a model for ionization of N2 in air under an electric field?

[ccrook]

Although I have seen values such as 3 kV/mm for the dielectric breakdown of air, I was curious if there was an analytical or semi-analytical model of the ionization of say N₂ under a uniform electric field. I am aware of Peek's law. Am I correct in assuming it is empirical? How might one connect the potential well of an electron in the orbit of an atom to the electric field required to ionize it? Perhaps estimate it using the bohr radius?

 

[Baluncore]

Have you seen Paschen's Law? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paschen's_law

There is discussion of "The first ionization energy needed to dislodge an electron from nitrogen molecule is about 15.6 eV."
In section; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paschen's_law#Physical_mechanism

 

[ccrook]

Have you seen Paschen's Law? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paschen's_law

There is discussion of "The first ionization energy needed to dislodge an electron from nitrogen molecule is about 15.6 eV."
In section; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paschen's_law#Physical_mechanism

I have and I initially started there, but it remains a function of the distance between the electrodes. Perhaps the better question is how does one relate the ionization energy to the minimum electric field required to ionize a single atom?

 

[Baluncore]

The connection between the three critical parameters, the MFP, the electric field gradient, and the first ionisation energy, is described in the link I gave to the physical mechanism.