Plasma-surface interaction model with secondary electron emission effects

Abstract

This work represents the investigation of the region between a Maxwellian plasma source and a floating surface by a 1D–3V fully kinetic, electrostatic particle simulation. The electric field is self-consistently computed from the Poisson equation. The secondary electron emission is modelled rigorously by considering a realistic expression for the secondary emission coefficient dependent on the primary electron energy, the angle relative to the surface normal and surface materials and a realistic secondary electron distribution function is introduced at the collector surface. The minimum ion energy at the collector sheath edge is evaluated self-consistently by determining the plasma sheath, without the assumption of a monotonic potential. The model is able to simulate the space charge limited conditions as well as the positively charged wall cases. Results are compared with other secondary emission sheath theories and numerical models.