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PIC‐MCC Model of a Plasma in the Vicinity of a Cylindrical Langmuir Probe
Author(s) -
Soberón F.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
contributions to plasma physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.531
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1521-3986
pISSN - 0863-1042
DOI - 10.1002/ctpp.200610027
Subject(s) - langmuir probe , plasma , atomic physics , physics , plasma diagnostics , radius , distribution function , particle (ecology) , plasma parameters , argon , computational physics , langmuir , chemistry , thermodynamics , oceanography , computer security , quantum mechanics , computer science , geology , aqueous solution
A full kinetic model of an argon plasma in the vicinity of a cylindrical Langmuir probe is developed and presented. The model is one‐dimensional in the radial direction and three‐dimensional in velocity space. The model simulates the plasma transition from the bulk to the probe surface and particle collection by the probe. Monte Carlo particle‐neutral collisions are considered in the model to account for collisional effects on the probe particle collection. Particles are loaded at the plasma bulk boundary with Maxwellian velocity distribution functions. The model output includes space potential and particle density profiles as a function of radius. The model also reproduces typical Langmuir probe current‐voltage characteristics at different pressures, plasma parameters and probe dimensions. Modelled electron and ion currents at different pressures for similar plasma parameters are presented, analysed and compared. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)