Vlasov simulations of plasma-wall interactions in a magnetized and weakly collisional plasma

Journal Article · Tue Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2006 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2244533· OSTI ID:20860212

Devaux, S; Manfredi, G ^[1]

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1. Laboratoire de Physique des Milieux Ionises et Applications, CNRS and Universite Henri Poincare, F-54506 Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy (France)

A Vlasov code is used to model the transition region between an equilibrium plasma and an absorbing wall in the presence of a tilted magnetic field, for the case of a weakly collisional plasma ({lambda}{sub mfp}>>{rho}{sub i}, where {lambda}{sub mfp} is the ion-neutral mean-free path and {rho}{sub i} is the ion Larmor radius). The phase space structure of the plasma-wall transition is analyzed in detail and theoretical estimates of the magnetic presheath width are tested numerically. It is shown that the distribution near the wall is far from Maxwellian, so that temperature measurements should be interpreted with care. Particular attention is devoted to the angular distribution of ions impinging on the wall, which is an important parameter to determine the level of wall erosion and sputtering.

• OSTI ID: 20860212
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 13, Issue 8; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2244533; (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ANGULAR DISTRIBUTION
BOLTZMANN-VLASOV EQUATION
COLLISIONAL PLASMA
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
EQUILIBRIUM PLASMA
EROSION
ION TEMPERATURE
IONS
LARMOR RADIUS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MEAN FREE PATH
NUMERICAL ANALYSIS
PHASE SPACE
PLASMA SHEATH
PLASMA SIMULATION
RADIATION TRANSPORT
SPUTTERING
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
WALL EFFECTS