Some aspects of the plasma potential in 3D simulation of ECRIS operation

Abstract

A 3D particle-in-cell plus Monte Carlo collision (PIC/MCC) code is developed for the simulation of electron cyclotron resonance ion source (ECRIS). The self-consistent interaction between the plasma and the potential field is taken into account, as well as Coulomb collisions, stepwise ionization, and charge exchange collisions between particles. In addition, a precalculation module based on a single-particle approach is introduced to speed up simulations. The stable distributions of the high-energy electrons are obtained and then sent to the subsequent simulation of ECRIS operation as the well-confined warm and hot electrons. An implicit electrostatic PIC model in this simulation self-consistently describes the evolution of the ECR plasma. The results are obtained for the plasma potential in a steady state, including the global amplitude and distribution profiles. The potential distribution of the ECR plasma is characterized by magnetic fields. These results, together with those for the charge density, are analyzed and discussed from the perspective of plasma diffusion.