Dusty radio frequency discharges in argon

Abstract

Spatial distributions were obtained of the electron and ion densities, the electric potential and field, the space-time averaged electron energy distribution function, and the charge of the dust particles across the discharge interelectrode gap of a radio frequency (RF) discharge in argon by the 1D3V particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo-collisions computer simulations. In addition, the electric current in the external discharge circuit was computed. Obtained results shown that the RF discharge with dust particles has a quasi-neutral central part with a low electric field and nonstationary sheaths with a strong electric field separating the electrodes from the central part. The dust particles essentially influence the spatial distribution of the discharge parameters and the electric current in the external circuit. In particular, an increase of the dust particle density causes an expansion of sheaths as well as a decrease of the current magnitude and an additional shift of the electric current in the external circuit relative to the sustaining external voltage. Secondary electron emission from the electrodes influences the discharge parameters significantly only when the effective secondary-emission yield /spl gamma/ exceeds a value of 0.2.