Simulation of energy transfer from a glow discharge to a solid surface

Abstract

In this paper, a model simulating the energy transfer from a glow discharge to a metal surface is presented. The model takes into account separately the transfer of each excitation mode of the plasma species: vibrational, translational, rotational, electronic, ionic, secondary electrons, and atom recombination. The case studied is that of a N2 glow discharge heating a W surface. Vibrational excitation transfer appears to be the main channel for the heating of the surface. Recombination on the surface also has an important contribution to the energy transfer from the plasma to the solid. Ions and metastable molecules play a minor role.