Self-consistent simulation of a planar electron-cyclotron-wave-resonance discharge

A discharge heated inductively by resonant absorption of electron cyclotron waves discharge is modeled in a planar geometry. The simulation algorithm is based on a kinetic particle-in-cell (PIC/MC) simulation of the plasma properties; the electromagnetic field is calculated macroscopically using the Appleton endash Hartree theory for the dielectric tensor. The results are checked against a simplified analytical theory and experimental data by B. Pfeiffer [J. Appl. Phys. 37, 1624,1628 (1966)] for a 15 mTorr argon discharge. As a result, we show that an inhomogeneous density profile in the discharge strongly affects the electromagnetic fields in the plasma. Power deposition is calculated both in and outside of the resonance. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics