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:
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- = ratio of ion number density to neutral number density
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- = ratio of statistical weights (degeneracy) of ionic (g_+) and neutral (g_0) states
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- = electron charge
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- = surface work function
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- IP = element ionization potential
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- k = Boltzmann's constant
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- T = surface temperature
Read more about this topic: Thermal Ionization
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