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Title: Study of effect of grain size on dust charging in an RF plasma using three-dimensional PIC-MCC simulations

Journal Article · · AIP Conference Proceedings
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2909180· OSTI ID:21136973
;  [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Institut fuer Physik, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universitaet Greifswald, 17487 Greifswald (Germany)
  2. Max-Planck Institut fuer Plasmaphysik, EURATOM Association, 17491 Greifswald (Germany)

A 3-dimensional Particle-Particle Particle-Mesh (P{sup 3}M) code is applied to study the charging process of micrometer size dust grains confined in a capacitive RF discharge. In our model, particles (electrons and ions) are treated kinetically (Particle-in-Cell with Monte Carlo Collisions (PIC-MCC)). In order to accurately resolve the plasma particles' motion close to the dust grain, the PIC technique is supplemented with Molecular Dynamics (MD), employing an an analytic electrostatic potential for the interaction with the dust grain. This allows to self-consistently resolve the dust grain charging due to absorption of plasma electrons and ions. The charging of dust grains confined above lower electrode in a capacitive RF discharge and its dependence on the size and position of the dust is investigated. The results have been compared with laboratory measurements.

OSTI ID:
21136973
Journal Information:
AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 993, Issue 1; Conference: PLASMA 2007: International conference on research and applications of plasmas; 4. German-Polish conference on plasma diagnostics for fusion and applications; 6. French-Polish seminar on thermal plasma in space and laboratory, Greifswald (Germany), 16-19 Oct 2007; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2909180; (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English