Ionization and excitation of excited helium atoms

我们基于放电技术提高电子设备性能和可靠性的能力依赖于我们对驱动它们的能量交换过程进行建模和量化的能力。我们的研究将强调高激发氦原子的性质以及它们与环境相互作用的方式。我们工作的目的是双重的；首先，为理论提供严格的测试，以增强我们对基于放电的装置驱动机制的理解；其次，提供基准反应速率，可用于基于放电的装置的建模，以提高其性能。

Our ability to improve the performance and reliability of electronic devices based around discharge technology relies upon our ability to model and quantify the energy-exchange processes which drive them. Our research will highlight the nature of highly-excited helium atoms and the way they interact with their environment. The purpose of our work is twofold; firstly to provide stringent tests to theory to enhance our understanding of mechanisms driving discharge-based devices and secondly, to provide benchmark reaction rates which can be used in the modeling of discharge-based devices to improve their performance.