Toward a frame-work for calculating comprehensive electron collision data sets for low-temperature plasma modeling: Vibrationally resolved cross sections of N₂, N₂⁺ and O₂

Modeling low-temperature non-equilibrium plasmas with collisional-radiative, Monte Carlo collision and Boltzmann equation solver codes requires comprehensive sets of collision cross sections. However, these cross sections are particularly difficult to calculate for low- temperature plasmas, where near-neutral atoms and molecules, and excited state species are abundant. As a result, in general, comprehensive sets of cross sections do not exist in the literature.

Recently we have developed a universal frame-work for quickly calculating electron-impact excitation and ionization cross sections of ground and excited state diatomic molecules and diatomic molecular ions. Here we present vibrationally resolved sets of cross sections for N₂, N₂⁺ and O₂.