VI Int. Workshop on Microwave Discharges: Fundamentals and Applications
September 11-15, 2006, Zvenigorod, RUSSIA
MODELING OF ELECTRODE MICROWAVE DISCHARGE IN HYDROGEN
AND NITROGEN
Yu.A. Lebedev, I.L. Epstein, A.V. Tatarinov
A.V. Topchiev Institute of Petrochemical Synthesis, Moscow, Russia
The results of different modeling of electrode microwave discharge are presented. The object of
the investigation is a ball-like plasma formed in molecular gases at the tip of the internal electrodeantenna, along which the electromagnetic energy enters the chamber. Such continuous discharges in
hydrogen, nitrogen and argon in the range of pressures 1-10 Torr has been observed and studied
experimentally. This plasma structure appears, when the size of the plasma chamber is bigger than
the size of a plasma formation.
Simulation of hydrogen discharge includes: one dimensional quasistatic code with model
electromagnetic field settled inside spherical chamber partly filled with plasma (p=1-8 Torr) [1];
two dimensional code with electromagnetic fields solved from the Maxwell equations inside the
chamber of given shape [2, 3, 4]. The balance equation consists of one ionization process by direct
electron impact (H3+ is the main ion), diffusion and bulk recombination. In both codes the transfer
coefficients are taken from homogeneous Boltzmann equation for electrons and the plasma is
assumed quasi-neutral.
Simulation of nitrogen discharge at present is a modified version of 1D hydrogen model with
charge separation. The Poisson equation, balance equations defining the kinetics of charged (e, N+,
N2+, N3+, N4+), and neutral (N2(A3∑+u) , N2(B3Пg), N2(C3Пu), N2(a1∑-u), N(4S), N(2D), N(2P)) plasma
particles have been used. Processes of direct, stepwise and associative ionization, recombination of
charged and neutral particles in plasma bulk and on the walls, ion-molecular reactions, processes of
excitation and deactivation molecules and atoms are taken into account [5].
The spatial characteristics and properties of hydrogen and nitrogen discharges obtained in
simulations are discussed.
References
1. Lebedev Yu,A., Tatarinov A.V., Epstein I.L. Plasma Sources Sci.&Technol, 2002, 11, 146.
2. Lebedev Yu,A., Tatarinov A.V. Plasma Sources Sci.&Technol., 2004, 13, 1.
3. Lebedev Yu,A., Mokeev M.V., Tatarinov A.V., Epstein I.L. Plasma Phys. Rep., 2004, 30,
91.
4. Lebedev Yu,A,. Tatarinov A.V., Epstein I.L. High Temp., 2006, 44, 2.
5. Lebedev Yu,A., Epstein I.L. Plasma Phys. Rep. 2006 (submitted)