Self-consistent sheaths in RF dusty plasmas

Self-consistent RF sheaths are investigated using a self-consistent 1D PIC/MC simulation of a RF discharge in argon with dust particles distributed uniformly in an interelectrode gap. Spatial distributions of discharge parameters across the discharge interelectrode gap were simulated at various densities of dust particles, namely: the electron and ion densities; the electric potential and field, the time-averaged electron energy distribution function, as well as the charge of dust particles. Obtained results shown that the RF discharge with dust particles has non-stationary sheaths with a strong electric field separating the electrodes from a quasi-neutral central part. The dust particles essentially influence the spatial distributions of discharge parameters, in particular an increase of a dust particle density causes an expansion of sheaths. The dust particle charge changes non-monotonously across the interelectrode gap and has maximum close to a sheath edge, due to the spatial distribution of plasma parameters and a peculiarity of the electron energy distribution function in the quasi-neutral central part of the RF discharge. (author)