The importance of an external circuit in a particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collisions model for a direct current planar magnetron

In modeling direct current (dc) discharges, such as dc magnetrons, a current-limiting device is often neglected. In this study, it is shown that an external circuit consisting of a voltage source and a resistor is inevitable in calculating the correct cathode current. Avoiding the external circuit can cause the current to converge (if at all) to a wrong volt-ampere regime. The importance of this external circuit is studied by comparing the results with those of a model without current-limiting, device. For this purpose, a 2d3v particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collisions model was applied to calculate discharge characteristics, such as cathode potential and current, particle fluxes and densities, and potential distribution in the plasma. It is shown that the calculated cathode current is several orders of magnitude lower when an external circuit is omitted, leading to lower charged particle fluxes and densities, and a wider plasma sheath. Also, it was shown, that only simulations with external circuit can bring the cathode current into a certain plasma regime, which has its own typical properties. In this work, the normal and abnormal regimes were studied. (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics.