Collision cross sections and transport coefficients are calculated for ${\mathrm{Ar}}^{+}$ ions, in the ground state ${}^2{P}_{3/2}$ and in the metastable state ${}^2{P}_{1/2}$, colliding with their parent gas. Differential and integral collision cross sections are obtained using a numerical integration of the nuclear Schrödinger equation for several published interaction potentials. The Cohen-Schneider semi-empirical model is used for the inclusion of the spin-orbit interaction. The corresponding differential collision cross sections are then used in an optimized Monte Carlo code to calculate the ion transport coefficients for each initial ion state over a wide range of reduced electric field. Ion swarm data results are then compared with available experimental data for different proportions of ions in each state. This allows us to identify the most reliable interaction potential which reproduces ion transport coefficients falling within the experimental error bars. Such ion transport data will be used in electrohydrodynamic and chemical kinetic models of the low temperature plasma jet to quantify and to tune the active species production for a better use in biomedical applications.

• Received 29 January 2014
• Revised 7 March 2014

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.89.063102