Modelling rare-gas medium pressure discharge lamps

Summary form only given. In this paper we present a self-consistent collisional-radiative code (SCCR) which allows us to study the formation of such molecular ions in the case of pure neon electrical discharge. The self-consistent collisional-radiative code is based on the excited and charged species balance coupled with the electronic energy conservation equation; the quasi-neutrality condition, perfect gas law and Ohm´s law close the equation set. In this model, we consider the Ne atom as a 14 level system (4s and 10p levels), with atomic and molecular ions. Several collisional channels for the formation and destruction of the Ne/sub 2//sup +/ are included: Chemi-ionization (collision between metastable Ne atoms), ion conversion (from atomic to molecular ion), 3-body association, dissociative ionization. Our calculations demonstrated the importance of the molecular ion, since in several cases its density becomes higher than the normal atomic ion density. Since charge neutrality is always respected in the positive column, the electron density could be completely controlled by reactions such as atomic ion conversion and balance between associative ionization and dissociative recombination.