Modeling and simulation of magnetically confined low-pressure plasmas in two dimensions

This paper reports on a hybrid electron fluid-particle ion model of a cylindrical axisymmetric discharge with conducting walls and a uniform axial magnetic field that has been developed. The chamber is 30 cm in length and 15 cm in diameter. Power is deposited into electrons with a uniform axial profile and two model radial profiles: Uniform power per electron (flat), and power per electron varying as the square of a J0 Bessel function (peaked). The major results of this study are that it is possible to treat two-dimensional systems with very small Debye length to system chamber length scale ratios, and that the radial power deposition profile appears to have a marked effect on the nature of the plasma profiles, including the ion flux profiles