Numerical modeling of a compact ECR ion source

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A compact ECR ion/plasma source is numerically modeled using a Monte Carlo particle method coupled with a solution of the Maxwell equations. The source modeled is a small, coaxial cavity source that utilizes rare earth permanent magnets to create electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) zones in the cavity. The model includes the calculation of the static magnetic field produced by the permanent magnets, the microwave fields at 2.45 GHz, the electron spatial and energy distributions, and the ion spatial and energy distributions. The numerical model is a 2d3v model that assumes an axial symmetry. The electric fields and time‐varying magnetic fields are solved using a time‐domain finite‐difference solution of the Maxwell equations. The electron and ion behaviors are modeled by using the Monte Carlo particle technique, where each particle moves subject to the Lorentz force equation and to the appropriate elastic and inelastic collision processes. The solution obtained is a self‐consistent solution where the Maxwell equations are solved iteratively with the particle technique until a steady state condition is reached. Sample simulation results are presented including a spatial electron heating distribution.