On the mean radius of thermalization of low-energy secondary electrons in polytetrafluoro-ethylene

It is shown by considering polytetrafluorethylene that the relative increment in the dielectric permeability DELTA epsilon/epsilonsub(0) initiated by a pulsed flow of the penetrating γ radiation falls off as the intensity of the electric field increases. The results are explained by assuming the yield of free electrons to depend upon the intensity of the external field. The comparison of the phenomenological and the experimental dependences of DELTA epsilon/epsilonsub(0) upon E was the basis for determining the mean radius of electron thermalization (R approximately 85 A) and for evaluating the mean energy of formation of a free electron (W approximately 1000eV)