Reduction of the Coulomb logarithm due to electron-neutral collisions
arXiv:2006.00128 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevE.101.061202
Abstract
The frictional force (stopping power) acting on a test electron moving through the ideal electron gas is calculated taking into account electron-neutral atom collisions using the linear plasma response formalism. This allows us to elucidate how the effective Coulomb logarithm is affected by electron-neutral collisions. In agreement with a recent investigation by Hagelaar, Donko, and Dyatko [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 123}, 025004 (2019)] we observe that the effective Coulomb logarithm decreases considerably due to electron-neutral collisions and becomes inversely proportional to the collision frequency in the highly collisional limit.
4 pages, to be published in Phys. Rev. E