The Coupling of PIC/MCC Models of Discharge Plasmas with Vibrational and Electronic Kinetics

Abstract

A 1D in position and 2D in velocity Particle in Cell with Monte Carlo Collision model of a low-pressure nitrogen discharge plasma has been coupled to a 1D reaction-diffusion kinetics for the whole vibrational ladder of the N 2 (X) state, for the vibrationally lumped N 2 (A), N 2 (B), N 2 (C), N 2 (a') states as well as for N atoms. The model includes several electron-molecule as well as molecule-molecule processes. The effect of the self-consistent coupling of the two models on the results in the case of a parallel-plate RF discharge is discussed for two different values of the RF frequency.