G J Kim et al 2006 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 39 4386 doi:10.1088/0022-3727/39/20/014
G J Kim, F Iza and J K Lee
Show affiliationsElectron and ion kinetics in a micro hollow cathode discharge are investigated by means of two-dimensional axisymmetric particle-in-cell Monte Carlo collision simulations. Argon discharges at 10 and 300 Torr are studied for various driving currents. Electron and ion energy probability functions (IEPF) are shown at various times and locations to study the spatio-temporal behaviour of the discharge. The electron energy probability function (EEPF) evolves from the Druyvesteyn type in the early stages of the discharge into a two (or three) temperature distribution when steady state is reached. In steady state, secondary electrons accelerated across the cathode fall populate the high energy tail of the EEPF while the low energy region is populated by trapped electrons. The IEPF evolves from a Maxwellian in the negative glow (bulk) to a two temperature distribution on the cathode surface. The overpopulation of low energy ions near the cathode surface is attributed to a larger collision cross section for low energy ions and ionization within the cathode fall.
52.20.Hv Atomic, molecular, ion, and heavy-particle collisions
Issue 20 (21 October 2006)
Received 19 June 2006, in final form 13 August 2006
Published 29 September 2006
G J Kim et al 2006 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 39 4386
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