Thermal Ionization - Saha-Langmuir Equation

Saha-Langmuir Equation

The likelihood of ionization is a function of the filament temperature, the work function of the filament substrate and the ionization energy of the element.

This is summarised in the Saha-Langmuir equation:

= ratio of ion number density to neutral number density
= ratio of statistical weights (degeneracy) of ionic (g_+) and neutral (g_0) states
= electron charge
= surface work function
IP = element ionization potential
k = Boltzmann's constant
T = surface temperature

Read more about this topic:  Thermal Ionization

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