Boltzmann Equation in Velocity Space

Abstract

This chapter is devoted to the analysis of the electron Boltzmann transport equation in the velocity space for the case of an applied external direct-current (DC) electric field. The analysis is restricted to low and intermediate field values in order the two-term expansion approximation of the electron velocity distribution around the direction of electron drift is sufficiently accurate. The terms for the electron energy gain from the field and electron energy losses by elastic and inelastic collisions, as well as the corresponding energy-averaged power balance terms, are derived in detail. At the end of the chapter some solutions to the Boltzmann equation are shown and discussed for H 2 and N 2 .