Influence of the Ramsauer minimum on the plasma characteristics studied via computer simulation

Abstract

Electron energy distribution function (EEDF) was and still is often measured as one of the most important characteristics of plasma. In our contribution a rf plasma in argon was studied via computer simulation. Our computer model was based on Monte Carlo and Particle In Cell methods. It is known that the cross section for elastic collisions of electrons with argon atoms has a sharp minimum at low energy, so called Ramsauer minimum. In our computer model this minimum could be smoothed away and hence the influence of the Ramsauer minimum on the EEDF could be studied directly. Two sets of computer experiments were carried out, i.e., with and without Ramsauer minimum. In both sets of computer experiments the pressure was varied in relatively wide range (3 ÷ 125) Pa and thence the transition from stochastic to collisional electron heating could be studied in detail.