Development and benchmark of an electrostatic PIC/MCC numerical code for simulation of gas discharge plasmas

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2023-1-10
Arda, İbrahim
This work deals with the development of the Particle-in-Cell/Monte Carlo Collision (PIC/MCC) numerical code for simulations of gas discharge plasmas. The study of these discharges is stimulated by various scientific and technological applications, which include surface modification, etching, lasers, spacecraft thrusters, plasma displays, and biomedicine. The efficient adoption of these discharges as sources of plasma for these applications depends on the ability to control plasma properties in the relevant systems. This implies a knowledge of the dependence of plasma properties in these systems on external factors (such as the amplitude and frequency of the applied voltage, nature, pressure and flow rate of the gas, geometry of the discharge setup, etc.). Such knowledge can be gained from the numerical modelling of the processes occurring in the gas discharge plasmas. The present work includes development of the Particle-in-Cell (PIC) module of the numerical code and its application to the simulation of two-stream instability arising in the system of two cold electron beams travelling in opposite directions. Next, the Monte-Carlo Collision (MCC) module is developed and verified by its application to the simulation of an electron swarm in a steady-state Townsend discharge. Then, PIC and MCC modules are combined into a self-consistent PIC/MCC numerical code, which is first verified with the simulation of a radiofrequency capacitively coupled plasma (RF CCP) in argon. Finally, this code is benchmarked with simulations of a low-pressure RF CCP in helium.

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Citation Formats
İ. Arda, “Development and benchmark of an electrostatic PIC/MCC numerical code for simulation of gas discharge plasmas,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2023.