Effect of non-Maxwellian electron energy distribution functions on the simulation of an inductively coupled Ar–Hg discharge

Abstract

In this paper, we simulate an inductively coupled Ar–Hg plasma with a hybrid model combining Maxwellian equations, plasma fluid equations and the Boltzmann equation of electrons. The calculated space distribution of Hg 6-3P1 atoms is compared with measurements. It turns out that in the situation of a non-Maxwellian electron energy distribution function (EEDF), the calculation agrees quite well with the measurement. This is because the calculated non-Maxwellian EEDFs have more electrons with intermediate kinetic energy. This suppresses the coupling reactions between excited Hg atoms, while increasing direct excitation, stepwise ionization and so on. Further analyses indicate that chemi-ionization of Hg 6-P atoms is not important in the ionization balance due to the effect of non-Maxwellian EEDFs, but it has an observable influence on the space distribution of Hg 6-3P1 atoms.