Self-Consistent System of Equations for a Kinetic Description of the Low-Pressure Discharges Accounting for the Nonlocal and Collisionless Electron Dynamics

Kaganovich, Igor D. ; Polomarov, Oleg

Princeton University. Plasma Physics Laboratory.

关键词: Kinetic Equations;    Kinetic Theory;    Energy Spectra;    70 Plasma Physics And Fusion Technology;    Current Density;   

DOI  :  10.2172/814016
RP-ID  :  PPPL-3814
RP-ID  :  AC02-76CH03073
RP-ID  :  814016

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

In low-pressure discharges, when the electron mean free path is larger or comparable with the discharge length, the electron dynamics is essentially non-local. Moreover, the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) deviates considerably from a Maxwellian. Therefore, an accurate kinetic description of the low-pressure discharges requires knowledge of the non-local conductivity operator and calculation of the non-Maxwellian EEDF. The previous treatments made use of simplifying assumptions: a uniform density profile and a Maxwellian EEDF. In the present study a self-consistent system of equations for the kinetic description of nonlocal, non-uniform, nearly collisionless plasmas of low-pressure discharges is derived. It consists of the nonlocal conductivity operator and the averaged kinetic equation for calculation of the non-Maxwellian EEDF. The importance of accounting for the non-uniform plasma density profile on both the current density profile and the EEDF is demonstrated.