A self-consistent kinetic model of a discharge plasma

Abstract

Several helium discharge plasmas have been modeled at the kinetic level with a self-consistent electric field using a convective scheme (CS) (propagator or Green's function) solution method. The CS is both straightforward to implement and numerically efficient. A CS description of the electrons is shown to match both experimental results and Monte Carlo simulations of a discharge a with fixed, uniform electric field. A mobility parameterization of ion behavior is added to the CS electron description to yield a self-consistent model of the cathode fall of a dc discharge. The predicted field configuration agrees well with optogalvanic measurements. The mobility model of the ions is then replaced with a CS ion description to produce a fully kinetic, self-consistent model of an rf discharge plasma.