Particle simulation of argon electrons in direct current discharge

A microscopic model is based in our study which adopted the particle-in-cell and Monte Carlo methods to simulate the behavior of the electrons at the beginning of the discharge. The distance between the plane electrodes in our study is 64 mm. The gas temperature is 300 K and the DC voltage applied to the electrode is 1000 V. We trace the motions of a large amount of the electrons and assembled average which makes us acquire the macroscopic energy distributions. The elastic collision, ionization and electronic excitation between electrons and neutral atoms are considered here and at the same time the relationships between the energy and cross section of the electrons are also considered here. According to our study, the energy distributions of the electrons and the impacts of the pressure are acquired. The phenomena that the electrons with low energy are absorbed by the electrodes at the beginning of the discharge and the multiplication of the high energy electrons by the function of the electric field can also be explained well.