ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the role of low-energy electrons in plasmas. It explores the role of electrons in plasmas and how they influence the physical and chemical properties of the plasma. A plasma is composed of almost equal concentrations of positive and negative particles such that the overall charge of a plasma is roughly zero. Plasma processing and coating of materials is a key technology in the aerospace, automotive, paper, and textile industries. Rate constants for electron processes are often used in plasma models, and different rates are appropriate for different physical environments. Argon plasmas are routinely used in plasma etching and surface cleaning because argon removes all kinds of contamination via ion bombardment without causing a chemical reaction or oxidation on the surface of the substrate. A special case of plasma used for environmental control is the generation of plasmas that produce ozone. In electronegative plasmas anion species play a critical role in establishing the plasma characteristics and chemistry.
