Studies of plasma breakdown and decay in a capacitive radiofrequency argon discharge

Abstract

A one-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation with Monte-Carlo collisions (PIC-MCC) has been used to study the breakdown, evolution and decay of a capacitive, radiofrequency (rf) argon discharge with parallel plate electrodes. The simulation uses spherical discharge geometry in order to represent a system with different area electrodes. Simple analytic and semi-analytic expressions have been determined to describe the temporal development of the average electron energy and the plasma density during these non-equilibrium periods. The expressions give quantities which are averaged over space and the rf cycle, and the results are compared with the simulated conditions. This simple model can be used to determine general behavioral trends relevant to time-modulated, or pulsed, rf systems.