Kinetic analysis of negative power deposition in low pressure plasmas

TL;DR

This paper presents an analytical model for negative power absorption in low pressure plasmas, solving coupled Boltzmann and Maxwell equations, and validates it against particle-in-cell simulations, revealing insights into skin effects and phase mixing.

Contribution

The paper introduces the first explicit analytical solution for electric field and electron distribution in low pressure plasmas with asymmetric excitation.

Findings

Excellent agreement between analytical and simulation results.

Insights into anomalous skin effect and phase mixing.

Validation of the analytical model with PIC simulations.

Abstract

The negative power absorption in low pressure plasmas is investigated by means of an analyical model which couples Boltzmann's equation and the quasi-stationary Maxwell's equation. Exploiting standard Hilbert space methods an explicit solution for both, the electric field and the distribution function of the electrons for a bounded discharge configuration subject to an unsymmetrical excitation has been found for the first time. The model is applied to a low pressure inductively coupled plasma discharge. In this context particularly the anomalous skin effect and the effect of phase mixing is discussed. The analytical solution is compared with results from electromagnetic full wave particle in cell simulations. Excellent agreement between the analytical and the numerical results is found.