The role of heavy particles in kinetics of low current discharges in argon at high electric field to gas number density ratio

We have developed a coupled system of Monte Carlo simulation codes for modeling of electron, ion, and fast neutral kinetics in low pressure, low current discharges. The procedure was tested for ion drift tube data by using different cross-section sets including the recent anisotropic set of Phelps [A. V. Phelps, J. Appl. Phys. 76, 747 (1994)]. The code was applied to modeling absolute emission profiles obtained at very high electric field to gas number density ratio, where heavy particle excitation dominates electron excitation by more than two orders of magnitude, and also to an inhomogeneous field experiment of Scott and Phelps [D. A. Scott and A. V. Phelps, Phys. Rev. A 43, 3043 (1991)]. The qualitative agreement between the Monte Carlo and experimental results is good, giving confidence in the available models and data for ion and fast neutral transport in gas discharges, and for their interaction with surfaces. (C) 1998 American Vacuum Society.