Particle-in-cell simulation of plasma surface wave sustained discharges

Summary form only given, as follows. Surface waves in a warm, unmagnetized, metal bounded plasma have been investigated via electrostatic 2 1/2 d particle simulation. Our study focuses on a slab configuration in which the y direction is periodic and the x direction is bounded by grounded, absorbing conducting walls. Our prior simulation has produced dispersion relations and eigenfunctions for surface waves analogous to the Gould-Trivelpiece waves in cylindrical systems for which the k/sub y/=0 cut-off of the asymmetric mode defines the series resonance and secondary branches whose cutoffs represent Tonks-Dattner resonances. The current work demonstrates progress made in studying, low voltage, argon discharges. 1d simulations sustain discharges at the series resonance where the plasma behaves as a resistive load. In 2d, plasmas have been sustained by exciting large amplitude standing plasma surface waves. Surface wave sustained plasmas have been studied extensively by Moisan et al. In cylindrical devices bound by dielectrics. This work extends such studies to metal bounded planar configurations which may be more suitable for large area plasma processing.