Modeling of transient nonequilibrium phenomena in an inductively coupled plasma under pulsed power conditions

Abstract

A time-dependent two-temperature model is developed to simulate the behavior of an argon radio frequency plasma under transient nonequilibrium conditions, with emphasis to shed light on the temporal and spatial evolution of the nonequilibrium phenomena occurring in pulsed power plasmas. The results show that the effects of changes in input power on the thermal nonequilibrium and the ionization nonequilibrium are most noticeable at the early stages of pulse on and off. The observed deviation from thermal equilibrium during pulsation is more pronounced in the fringes of the plasma and near the wall of the torch. In the central region, the influence is less significant and the plasma remains in a quasilocal thermal equilibrium state. The temporal evolution of the ionization nonequilibrium does not keep pace with that of the thermal nonequilibrium, and the relaxation process of the electron number density is slower and smoother. The effects of operating conditions on the transient behavior of the nonequilibrium situations under pulsed power conditions are also examined. It indicates that, for materials processing, a pulse duration between 2 and 10 ms is adequate for rf plasmas operated in pulse-modulated modes.