Electrostatic simulations of the radio frequency heating of a non‐neutral plasma in an electron trap

Abstract

The electrostatic simulations of the radio frequency (RF) heating mechanism, excitations, and ionization process of an electron plasma are carried out using a two‐dimensional (2D) particle‐in‐cell (PIC) code. RF drives with excitation frequencies of 1–15 MHz and amplitudes of 5 and 10 V were applied at two different axial positions, to the centre and to one end on the electrode stack of the ELTRAP device, at ultra‐high vacuum conditions. It is observed that the axial kinetic energy (eV) profile of the confined electrons increases with an increase of the RF excitation amplitudes, and densities from 5 × 107 to 1012 m−3 for all cases under consideration. The simulation results indicate that with continuous RF excitations, the electron heating in the beginning is higher at the trap wall of the device and extends towards the central region of the trap over a simulation time of up to 100 µs. These results on the electron heating are in good agreement with the experimental findings (optical diagnostics of ELTRAP). The heating effect is larger when the RF power is applied from the position close to one end of the trap in comparison to the central position. Monte–Carlo PIC simulations with hydrogen as a background gas are also performed to evaluate the ionization process at pressures of 10−8, 10−7, and 10−6 torr using the same electron plasma densities. The results show that at increasing pressures, the electron‐neutral collisions rate increases linearly with the background gas pressure. Increased collision frequency is obtained at higher RF drive amplitudes, which proportionally increases electron temperature, so that more ionization and secondary electrons are generated.