Paper PS-TuP29
Evaluation of Simulation Tool for a Plasma Generation based on the Dual Property of Electrons

Tuesday, October 23, 2018, 6:30 pm, Room Hall B

This research presents the development of a simulation tool that characterizes and optimizes the plasma characteristics of a new plasma device based on the dual property of electrons. The plasma device consists of three areas, namely the expansion area, the diffraction area, and the processing area. Successive electrodes generate, expand, and diffract the electrons that dissociate and ionize the nitrogen gas into a plasma. The device is specifically tailored to produce a uniform and large-volume plasma that can harden the surface of large mechanical parts or a large number of mechanical parts. Evaluation of the performance of the plasma device in attaining a uniform and large-volume treated materials requires extensive experimental work, modeling and numerical simulation in addition to plasma diagnostics. In this research, the principle of the plasma generation and the operating conditions of the plasma device are considered in constructing the simulation tool that illustrates the qualitative relations of the plasma parameters against the magnitude and uniformity of the plasma. Numerical simulation of three sequential regions namely particle, wave, and particle regions corresponding to the expansion, diffraction, and processing areas are modeled to give the total framework. The two particle regions, Particle-In-Cell and Monte-Carlo-Collusion methods, are carried out to determine the particle energy and position within the plasma chamber. While in the wave region, the Fresnel theory is used to determine the diffracted electron intensity distribution. In combining the results of the particle and wave regions, the plasma characteristics of the device are holistically determined. Comparison of the results of the simulation and experimental data obtained show good agreement, thus verifying the validity of the simulation tool.