THERMALIZATION AND MOBILITY OF EXCESS ELECTRONS IN DIELECTRIC LIQUIDS

Electrons that possess an initial excess energy of 1-10 aJ/particle (1.00 aJ = 6.24 eV) in a dielectric liquid travel a probable distance b(GP) from their points of origin while their energy is being reduced to thermal, < 10(-2) aJ/particle. This distance, normalized by the liquid density d, is dependent on the degree of sphericity of the molecules, on their polarity, and on their packing density. In liquid hydrocarbons most of b(GP) is traversed while the electron energy is < 0.1 aJ, where scattering is much weaker than at higher energies.