COUPLING OF SPACE-DEPENDENT ELECTRON DYNAMICS AND VIBRATIONAL KINETICS IN RADIOFREQUENCY DISCHARGES IN NITROGEN

The coupling between the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) and the vibrational distribution in a parallel-plate radio-frequency d ischarge in low-pressure pure nitrogen is analyzed. A Monte Carlo elec tron dynamics is used assuming an imposed space- and time-dependent el ectric field, together with a space-dependent vibrational kinetics inc luding nine vibrational levels of N2 molecules. Calculations are perfo rmed for different deactivation frequencies of N2 molecules. Space-dep endent vibrational distributions, EEDF's, and rate coefficients are re ported. It is found that the coupling with the vibrational kinetics ca n affect the results when the vibrational deactivation of molecules is mainly due to superelastic collisions with electrons.