Wave propagation and absorption simulations for helicon sources

Abstract

A two-dimensional (2-D), finite-difference computer code is developed to examine helicon antenna coupling, wave propagation, collisionless Landau, and collisional heating mechanisms. The code calculates the electromagnetic wave fields and power absorption in an inhomogeneous, cold, collisional plasma. The current distribution of the launching antenna, which provides the full antenna spectra, is included in the model. An iterative solution that incorporates warm plasma thermal effects has been added to the code to examine the contribution of collisionless (Landau) wave absorption by electrons. Detailed studies of the wave fields and electron heating profiles at low magnetic fields (B0<100 G), where both Trivelpiece–Gould (TG) and helicon (H) modes are present, are discussed. The effects of the applied uniform magnetic field (B0=10–1000 G), 2-D (r,z) density profiles (ne0=1011–1013 cm−3), neutral gas pressures of 1–10 mTorr and the antenna spectrum on collisional and collisionless wave field solutions and power absorption are investigated. Cases in which the primarily electrostatic (TG) surface wave dominates the heating and the power is absorbed near the edge region and cases in which the propagating helicon wave transports and deposits its energy in the core plasma region are examined.