Two-dimensional numerical simulation of a continuous needle-like argon electron-beam plasma

Abstract

The fluid-Poisson equations coupled with the Monte Carlo method were used to simulate the spatio-temporal behavior of a needle-like argon electron-beam plasma. Based on the Monte Carlo simulation, three coupled parameters characterizing the electron beam propagation for initial energies above several keV were expressed using a universal dimensionless shape function given in terms of the beam range multiplied by a normalized coefficient. Therefore, a single run of the Monte Carlo code was sufficient for the simulations over a wide range of conditions. The spatial potential as a function of space and time was studied from the fluid-Poisson equations. The results indicate that the time evolution of the spatial potential was influenced by the presence of the slowed-down electrons and the flying beam electrons, whereas the potential in quasi-equilibrium was mainly determined from the spatial distribution of the secondary electron. The potential in quasi-equilibrium was positive near the beam entrance and most negative along the tip of the beam range, which was a result of ambipolar diffusion. When the enclosing boundary surfaces were moved within the beam range, the potential was nearly positive everywhere. The calculation on the diffusion-drift flux indicated that the net current of the secondary electrons flowing back to the incident plane in quasi-equilibrium balanced the incident beam current, which was the so-called return current in the three-dimensional space.