Simulation of DC glow discharge plasma with free-moving dust particles in the radial direction

Abstract

A self-consistent fluid model is developed to investigate the radial distributions of dusty plasma parameters in a DC glow discharge, in which the extended fluid approach of plasma particles and the transport equations of dust particles are coupled. The electrical interaction between charged dust particles is considered in the model. The time evolution of radial distributions of dust density, plasma density, the radial component of electric field and the forces acting on dust particles when dust density tends to be stable, are obtained and analyzed under different discharge currents and dust particle radii. It is shown that the dust density structure is determined mainly by the radial electrostatic force, thermophoretic force and ion drag force in the discharge tube, and both discharge current and dust particle radius have an obvious effect on the transport processes of dust particles. The dust particles gather in the central region of the discharge tube for low discharge current and small dust radius, then dust voids are formed and become wider when the discharge current and dust radius increase. The plasma parameters in the dust gathering region are obviously affected by the dust particles due to the charging processes of electrons and ions to the dust surface.