RF Plasma Simulations using Full-Fluid Moment Model

Radio frequency (RF) plasma systems are widely used in many industrial applications, and their dynamic behavior makes them good but challenging candidates to be studied using numerical simulations. In RF plasmas, the electron velocity distribution functions (EVDFs) are time-dependent, which can contribute to kinetic effects, such as stochastic heating. Being able to accurately simulate RF plasmas using a robust fluid model would lead to significantly less expensive simulations in comparison to kinetic models. RF breakdown is studied using a full-fluid moment (FFM) model, which is benchmarked with a particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collisions (PIC-MCC) model, with varying initial plasma seed densities to investigate the effects of space charge on the operation of RF breakdown. The results from FFM show good qualitative agreement with the PIC-MCC results, capturing the formation of RF plasmas. The effect of conductive heat flux on the RF breakdown conditions is also investigated. Lastly, magnetized breakdown for DC and RF conditions is studied and compared to experimental results, showing good qualitative agreement. The capabilities of the FFM model to simulate RF plasmas will be discussed.